Teen admits drink driving

A teenager who crashed his moped into a lamp post was found to be over the excess blood alcohol limit.

Max Joel Butters, 18, was riding along Somme Pde on May 1 when he lost control and hit a kerb, crashing into a lamp post on the footpath, police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Butler said on Tuesday. Butters was taken to hospital, where he needed surgery for a broken leg.

His blood was tested and he was found to have 190mg plus or minus 10mg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 50mg.

Butters said he had drunk half a bottle of bourbon and was going to see his girlfriend. He pleaded guilty in the Whanganui District Court to driving with excess blood alcohol. Defence lawyer Harete Hipango said Butters was "most likely going to have some lifelong, ongoing difficulties" from his injuries.

Judge David Cameron sentenced him to 100 hours of community work and disqualified him from driving for six months. He also ordered Butters pay reparation of $219.25.