Police officer defends drink driving charge

A Wellington police officer is defending a drink driving charge on the grounds that overwork and personal and professional stress led him to unconsciously break the law.

A defence of "sane automatism" has been raised and a doctor is expected to give evidence that the officer was probably acting automatically.

The officer was driving a mufti car that rear-ended another car on State Highway 2 between Wellington and Lower Hutt in November. He later recorded a blood alcohol almost double the limit.

In the Wellington District Court on Wednesday, his name was suppressed and he pleaded not guilty to driving with excess blood alcohol causing injury and careless driving causing injury.

The case is continuing.

- NZPA