'How are you still alive?': Hastings drink driver's blood reading shocks judge

A 51 year old has been sentenced to intense supervision after police caught him driving three times over the legal limit. Photo / File

A judge has described a Hastings man as an "accident waiting to happen" behind the wheel of a car.

Vikas Vikas, 51, appeared before Judge Geoff Rea in the Hastings District Court on Thursday on dangerous driving and drink driving charges.

In 2018 he was caught driving with an alcohol level of 244mg per 100ml of blood - three times the legal limit.

"The saddest thing is, that reading is your lowest level," Judge Rea said.

"In 2013, 322mg was just your blood level, then 289mg in 2003 and you refused a blood specimen.

"How are you still alive with these readings?

"It's fair to conclude unless you address the problem you're going to kill yourself or someone else.

"I want to see motivation. You have to do something about your own condition. This illness has got you completely and unless it's addressed we will be doing this again, probably with far worse results."

Defence counsel William Hawkins said Vikas was of Indian decent with little family support and suggested a sentence of either home detention or intense supervision.

Vikas' dangerous driving charge resulted in 12 months' intensive supervision, but Judge Rea remanded the charge of drink driving until April 26 this year.

"We will see if you're engaging with your supervision. If not, then you will go to prison, but if you are following the directions of the probation officer then a sentence of home detention will be the result," he said.