Seventh conviction for drink driver

A Whangarei man who admitted drinking at least 12 beers before getting behind the wheel was almost three times over the legal alcohol limit when police stopped him.

Peter William ARNOLD, 53, was sentenced in the Whangarei District Court and is now serving home detention for his seventh drink driving conviction.

Police stopped Arnold while he was driving on Tarewa Rd, Whangarei, at 8.20pm on October 29. They gave him a breath test which recorded 1085 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath - almost three times the 400mcg limit.

In explanation, he said he had drunk at least 12 bottles of beer before driving.

He was sentenced to eight months of home detention, and disqualified from driving for 18 months for his seventh drink driving conviction.

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 courts recently were:

Para MURRAY, 72, 878mcg, eight months' home detention, disqualified from driving for 15 months for third drink driving conviction.

Kevin William PAIKEA, 53, 771mcg, four months' community detention, 200 hours' community work, nine months' supervision, disqualified from driving for 15 months for fifth drink driving conviction.

James Daniel Maihi NUKU, 32, 499mcg, $500 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Tasaya Elizabeth HENARE, 21, meatworker, 725mcg, $725 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Julie Esse ROUNTREE, 24, 869mcg, 100 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months.

Zage Te Mangu Nathan TUAKE, 19, 672mcg, 90 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months.

Robert Michael GRANT, 25, 711mcg, $700 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Mataroa MATAROA, 25, unemployed, 674mcg, 60 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months.

Leith Barry MORINE, 19, seasonal worker, 554mcg, $350 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Jason Robert STRANG, 27, 714mcg, $700 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Auree David TE MOMO, 19, 83 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, $400 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Legal 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 limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 will receive an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points.

Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit over that will continue to be subject to the same drink drive penalties as adults.