Driver more than twice legal limit after 11hr drinking spree

A man who admitted drinking alcohol for more than 11 hours before getting into his car was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when stopped by police in Whangarei.

Corran John MCGREGOR, 41, appeared in the Manukau District Court for sentencing on a charge of driving with excess breath-alcohol for a third or subsequent time after he was stopped in Riverside Dr, Whangarei, at 12.39am on February 12 last year.

The police summary of facts to the court said McGregor had a level of 839 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, more than double the 400mcg adult limit.

When spoken to by police at the time he said he had been drinking since 1pm the previous afternoon.

He was sentenced to 80 hours' community work for his third drink-driving conviction, but the court deemed special circumstances existed that did not require a driving disqualification.

Northland has some of the highest rates of drink-driving in the country, particularly repeat offenders, and the Northern Advocate is publishing its "name and shame" list of all people convicted of drink-driving offences in the region.

Also sentenced in Northland's courts recently were:

Mana Manaroa EDWARDS, 47, student, 553mcg, 150 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day for third drink-driving conviction.

Patricia O'DONNELL, 41, 516mcg, $650 fine, disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day for third drink-driving conviction.

Rorden Kane Faber PETERSEN, 19, 263mcg, $350 fine, disqualified from driving for three months.

Richard Willoughby Andrew GENEFAAS, 25, 904mcg, 100 hours' community work, nine months' supervision, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Iwingaro Adina TONG, 28, 804mcg, $1000 fine, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Daniel Nicholas STONEY, 24, bar tender, 511mcg, $600 fine, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for six months.

Liquor limits.- Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Under 20: Young drivers with a blood-alcohol level up to 0.03mg will incur an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points. Young drivers with a blood-alcohol limit over that will be subject to the same drink-drive penalties as adults.