Drink driving has reached "epidemic proportions" in Northland, a judge said, who sent a man to jail for his 11th drink-driving conviction.
Judge Duncan Harvey said more than half the cases he dealt with in Whangarei District Court yesterday related to repeat drink-drivers and disqualified drivers.
He was sentencing road worker Tony
Hepana, 54, who earlier pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol - his 11th conviction - and a charge of driving while disqualified - his eighth conviction.
Judge Harvey rejected a recommendation for community detention, telling Hepana that would not send the right message to the public.
"This type of behaviour has to stop. We are killing people on the road and there's a real need to deter people from behaving the way you did," he said.
The latest charge arose when Hepana was stopped at a police checkpoint on Whangarei's Riverside Drive on April 5. He blew 725 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath and was found to be a disqualified driver. The limit is 400mcg.
Another repeat drink-driver was spared jail yesterday for his sixth offence..
Peter John Ineson, 48, was warned by Judge Harvey it was his last chance and any more driving over the limit would land him in jail.
Ineson had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of excess breath alcohol.
When stopped by Whangarei police on May 9 he was found to have a breath alcohol level of 662mcg.
Judge Harvey said people with Ineson's history, which included five previous drink-driving convictions, were usually jailed or given home detention.
But defence lawyer Roger Bowden argued for community detention, because jail time or home detention would have cost his job.
Ineson was sentenced to six months' community detention - in effect a 7pm-6am curfew - with nine months supervision, alcohol counselling and 150 hours' community work.
He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.
According to ACC, drink-driving killed 27 people and seriously hurt 111 on Northland roads between 2004 and 2006.
