Bay of Plenty man caught driving over the limit twice in one night

The man was caught over the limit twice in one night. Photo / NZME

By The Opōtiki News

A Bay of Plenty man has been sentenced to home detention after being caught driving while over the legal alcohol limit twice in one night.

John George Munro was drinking with friends in Galatea when he decided to get dinner in Rotorua – a trip that would later result in a court date at the Whakatāne District Court.

On the way to dinner, Munro was stopped by police and found to have a breath alcohol level of 672 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, well over the legal limit of 250mcg.

A friend came to pick him up and he returned to Galatea, where he stayed for a few hours before deciding to drive home to Ōpōtiki.

On his way home, Munro was stopped by police again. This time his breath alcohol level was 787mcg.

Defence lawyer Nickie Franklin said Munro insisted he did not drink any more alcohol between drives and assumed he was sober enough to leave when he did.

This was not consistent with the breathalyser displaying a higher reading than earlier in the night.

Munro pleaded guilty to two charges of driving with excess breath alcohol and driving while his licence was suspended, in relation to the second offence on that night.

The two drink-driving charges are his third and fourth drink-driving-related convictions.

Judge Louis Bidois sentenced Munro to four months of home detention with special conditions not to consume or possess alcohol or non-prescription drugs.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day and when able to get his licence back he will be on a zero-alcohol licence for three years.