NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Ex-All Black Piri Weepu admits drink-driving after arrest at Lower Hutt McDonald's

Melissa Nightingale
By Melissa Nightingale
Senior Reporter, NZ Herald - Wellington·NZ Herald·
6 Aug, 2018 10:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Piri Weepu apologises for drink driving on his instagram. / Instagram @piriweepu9

Ex-All Black Piri Weepu has been convicted of drink-driving after being found slumped behind the wheel in the drive-thru at a McDonald's restaurant.

He had been charged with drink driving at more than twice the legal limit after the incident in Lower Hutt at 2.49am on July 15.

A McDonald's spokesman said staff at the Petone restaurant found a customer asleep in the drive-thru.

"They followed protocol and called the police, and have assisted with the investigation."

Weepu had driven in to the drive-thru in his partner's Holden.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

After ordering food, he fell asleep at the wheel of the car, according to the summary of facts.

When police arrived, Weepu told them he was hungry and wanted to get food.

Weepu said on social media today that he was "taking it on the chin" and had pleaded guilty.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"What I did was dumb and wrong, I am extremely embarrassed and sorry to my family, my friends and my community," he said.

"I 100 per cent admit that I what I done was dumb."

He wanted to thank everyone who had helped him out since the incident, and asked that they continue to support him.

The former halfback, who became a national hero during the All Blacks' 2011 World Cup-winning campaign, faced one charge of driving with excess breath alcohol on Victoria St in Petone on July 15.

Discover more

Sport|rugby

Piri Weepu has suspected asthma attack on field

26 Aug 07:44 AM
Sport|rugby

Piri Weepu announces retirement

14 Oct 07:53 AM
Sport

Weepu 'in tears' at his mother's graduation

06 Apr 11:50 AM
New Zealand|crime

Former All Black keeps name secret in drink-driving case

31 Jul 07:14 AM

The 34-year-old appeared in the Hutt Valley District Court this morning on the charge.
Police said he had 600mcg of alcohol on his breath at the time of the alleged offending.

The legal limit is 250mcg, and anyone over 400mcg can receive a conviction.

Weepu was fined $600, ordered to pay $130 court costs and disqualified from driving for six months.

Weepu had earlier arrived at court supported by his brother, Billy. Speaking outside court the former rugby star said he had let himself and hisfamily down and that he needed to "make sure I get back on track".

He would do that by making sure he didn't do it again, and continuing to "do the things that I'm happy with doing".

Weepu's defence lawyer, Louise Sziranyi, told Judge Arthur Tompkins Weepu had made a "significant error" and wanted to accept the consequences of what he'd done.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Weepu had initially fought to keep his name a secret.

But today he tweeted confirming the incident.

Kia ora everyone.
On the of 15th July I was charged with excess breath alcohol while driving.
I am due to appear in court this morning in relation to this at which time i will plead… https://t.co/xE3MnURJEk

— Piri Weepu (@piriweepu) August 6, 2018

It is not the first time Weepu has been on the wrong side of the law.

He was granted diversion on a disorderly behaviour charge relating to an incident in Wellington in 2008.

Police diversion is a system which allows first-time offenders to avoid conviction in exchange for pleading guilty and agreeing to perform community work.

Weepu was arrested in central Wellington after banging on a store window while trying to attract the attention of a friend. His lawyer said the incident was "very minor".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Star originally sought name suppression

Weepu was due to have his first appearance on the charge last week, but after the Herald filed a media application for the appearance, an earlier hearing was scheduled without media present.

It is understood a judge granted an ex parte suppression order for Weepu, so his name could be kept secret until suppression could be ruled on.

A judge can make an ex parte suppression order without all of the interested parties to a case being present, concealing the identity of the defendant until the matter can be properly heard in court.

A legal expert told the Herald ex parte orders are "unusual" and require "exceptional circumstances" to be granted.

"The average person wouldn't get this," said University of Canterbury dean of law Ursula Cheer.

An early suppression hearing was scheduled for Monday last week, which the Herald was not notified of due to an oversight, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Weepu, a 71-test All Black, retired from all forms of rugby in October last year.

After a career in which he wore the number 9 jersey for the Hurricanes, Blues and All Blacks, as well as several overseas sides, Weepu spent what would be his final season playing for Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship.

Weepu made his provincial debut in 2003 for Wellington, playing with the Lions until 2011 when he switched to Auckland from 2012 to 2014.

Weepu currently hosts a show about hunting and gathering called Piri's Tiki Tour which screens on Māori Television.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Herald NOW

2degress business with Garth Bray: 29 May 2025

New Zealand

'Basketball sized rocks': SH25 closed by slips in Coromandel

28 May 08:57 PM
Politics

Luxon says bad healthcare and safety fears driving skilled Kiwis offshore

28 May 08:55 PM

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

2degress business with Garth Bray: 29 May 2025

2degress business with Garth Bray: 29 May 2025

2degress business with Garth Bray: 29 May 2025 Video / Herald NOW

'Basketball sized rocks': SH25 closed by slips in Coromandel

'Basketball sized rocks': SH25 closed by slips in Coromandel

28 May 08:57 PM
Luxon says bad healthcare and safety fears driving skilled Kiwis offshore

Luxon says bad healthcare and safety fears driving skilled Kiwis offshore

28 May 08:55 PM
Birdies for Remi

Birdies for Remi

Explore the hidden gems of NSW
sponsored

Explore the hidden gems of NSW

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP