Rotorua drink driver caught four times in three months gets home detention

The Rotorua Courthouse. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Rotorua man caught drink-driving four times in fewer than three months will spend the next four months on home detention while being told to come to the realisation he is an alcoholic.

Jamie Gale, 25, appeared in the Rotorua District Court on Thursday this week before Judge Eddie Paul having earlier pleaded guilty to three charges of driving with excess breath alcohol and one charge of driving with excess blood alcohol.

Judge Paul said it was “rare indeed” for the court to see someone charged with so many drink-driving offences in such a short space of time.

The facts of the case were read to the court by the judge. The first case was on October 11 last year just after 8pm on Tarawera Rd when Gale was clocked in a Ford vehicle doing 82km/h in a 50km/h zone.

An analysis of his blood alcohol level returned a reading of 107mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.

While facing that charge, on December 5 he was found speeding in a Ford vehicle on Ngongotahā Rd exceeding the 80km/h limit by travelling 104km/h. A breath test returned a reading of 495mg of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mg.

Then while before the court on that charge, Gale again drove on the morning of December 23 on Fairy Springs Rd and was seen swerving in and out of heavy morning traffic. He was stopped by police and a breath test returned a reading of 597mg of alcohol per litre of breath.

Seven days later on December 30 after 11pm, Gale was found driving on Commerce St in Whakatāne and returned a breath test of 494mg of alcohol per litre of breath.

Judge Paul said on their own, the readings weren’t “spectacular” but in combination and with the associated bad driving they were “dangerous”.

“It is apparent you are an alcoholic, Mr Gale, and you are an undisciplined alcoholic because you will get behind the wheel. The fact you are facing charges before the court have proved no barrier to you continuing to drink and drive and place yourself and other road users at risk, not only because you’re intoxicated but because of the manner of your driving.”

He said Gale also had a relevant conviction in December 2019, which demonstrated a “very dangerous pattern of behaviour”.

Judge Paul gave him credit for his guilty pleas and the fact he was making some attempts to treat his alcoholism.

“Attempts are no good, you have to complete treatment and you probably have to reach a realisation that you are an alcoholic and you cannot drink again.”

Judge Paul said if he were sentencing Gale individually, by the fourth conviction he would end up with a prison sentence of six months. But taking into consideration the legal term of totality, which meant he was sentencing him on all charges at once, he arrived at a sentence of four months’ home detention.

Gale is required to undertake necessary counselling to address his alcohol addiction for nine months.

Judge Paul also “generously perhaps only” disqualified him from driving for nine months.