Drink-driving Kiwi jailed for third time

Her drink driving has killed her seven-month old son, labelled her as one of the country's worst recidivist drink drivers - and yesterday saw her sent her to prison for the third time.
Raquel Kiwi, 28, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment by Tauranga District Court after clocking up her 11th drink-driving conviction in 11 years.
Kiwi had attempted to avoid the court appearance by breaching bail last week but was found cowering in the cupboard of a Welcome Bay house.
Police prosecutor David Pawson said Kiwi was considered by police to be one of the country's worst recidivist drink drivers. Since the death of her son in 2004, Kiwi has been caught five times for driving while disqualified and was caught drink driving less than a month after she was released from jail late last year. She was granted bail twice at the end of last year leading up to yesterday's sentencing.
Kiwi was first jailed for 21 months after a car crash in April 2004 where she drove at twice the legal blood alcohol limit, killing her seven-month-old son, Jason, and injuring four others.
In April last year she was jailed for another 13 months for two drink-driving charges, driving while disqualified and a raft of other charges.
Yesterday in police custody, Kiwi had no choice but to front up for her 11th drink-driving conviction on October 20 of last year. She stood looking forlorn in the dock, lifting her head and smiling when supporters entered the courtroom.
Kiwi was also sentenced on charges of driving while disqualified, failing to give information to police, breaching her prison release conditions by failing to report to her probation officer, and breaching her bail conditions.
Her solicitor, Craig Tuck, said his client was no stranger to jail but there were a number of issues in her life that continued to trouble her.
The Papamoa mother has continued alcohol abuse, has never had a job and her children were now in the care of a fraternal grandmother.
Judge Louis Bidois considered that there were a number of issues in Kiwi's life that she had struggled to deal with but imprisonment was inevitable.
"[The death of your son] hasn't deterred you. You have continued to drink and you have continued to drink and drive."
He added that the only mitigating factor was her guilty plea.
Kiwi had her licence further disqualified for two years, bringing it to a total of seven years.
She was yet to start her latest two-year disqualification on October 14. She is indefinitely disqualified until the Secretary of Land Transport removes this notation from her record and she must then resit her licence.
"You effectively should not be driving for the rest of your life," Judge Bidois told her.