A 65-year-old Masterton man has been heavily fined after being convicted for his 20th drink driving offence and told he could have killed someone.
William Michael Eyon pleaded guilty to drink driving when he appeared before Judge Chris Tuohy in Masterton District Court.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Garry Wilson said Eyon had 19 previous convictions for drink driving, between December 1971 and July 2000.
On September 28 about 4pm, police stopped Eyon on State Highway 3 near Waverley after he was clocked driving at 119km/h. He admitted he had been drinking and
blew an alcohol reading of 597 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.
The legal limit is 400mcg.
Defence lawyer Ian Hard said Eyon had been at a funeral the day before he was stopped by police.
He said his client had not been before the court for 13 years and had made strides to put this type of offending behind him.
"He has changed his habits, he has changed his ways. He's determined not to repeat this.
"He has abstained for 13 years."
Judge Tuohy asked whether Eyon thought he still might have a drinking problem, as it was clear from his history this was an issue prior to 2000, when he was last convicted of drink driving. The judge said it was not the first time he had heard people who appeared before court state it was just a slip-up.
"It could indicate a very serious drink and drink driving problem.
"I've heard this 100 times, several thousand actually," the judge said.
From the dock, Eyon replied: "It was a one-off."
Eyon said the turning point was his son telling him he could be killed by his father driving drunk.
"That was the big reason why I stopped."
Judge Tuohy said Eyon had been jailed in 2000 and he told him he needed to ensure the safety of the community.
"You could have killed someone," he said.
He told Eyon to seek help if he thought he was falling off the wagon.
"You know yourself if this is a hiccup or the start of you going back to drinking. If you think you are going back to drinking, you should get help," he said.
Eyon was fined $1000, ordered to pay $130 court costs, and disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day.