Drink drivers in Dannevirke court

Four drink drivers were sentenced in Dannevirke District Court on Friday.

A drink driver who crashed into a fence at Dannevirke's Huia Range School has been ordered to pay $900 for the damage he caused.

Peter Anthony Baird appeared in Dannevirke District Court on Friday charged with driving with a breath-alcohol level of 837 and careless driving on Cole St, Dannevirke, on December 29.

Judge Jonathan Krebs told Baird that at the age of 71 he was undoubtedly highly embarrassed to be appearing in court for the first time in his life.

The court was told Baird lost control of the vehicle he was driving, crossed the road's centre line and crashed into the front fence of the school, causing moderate damage to both the fence and the car he was driving, which belonged to a friend.

Judge Krebs said because of the level of Baird's alcohol reading, an Interlock sentence would normally be imposed. This would mean Baird would be disqualified from driving for 28 days and would then have to have an Interlock device fitted to his vehicle.

However, Baird indicated he had no intention of owning a vehicle and signed a statutory declaration to that effect.

Because the school was closed for the holidays, police had been unable to obtain a cost for repairs to the fence.

However, Judge Krebs imposed the $900 fine, which was to be paid directly to the school.

"This fine is slightly higher than normal but the breath-alcohol reading was at the higher end."

Baird was disqualified from driving for eight months, at the end of which he would have to apply for a zero-alcohol licence.

On the careless driving charge, Baird was convicted and discharged.

Three other people appeared in court for the first time on drink-driving charges.

Marlena Lilo, 45, was charged with driving with a breath-alcohol level of 811 at Dannevirke on December 10.

Counsel for Lilo, Nicola Graham, said Lilo had no previous offences and was embarrassed to be in court.

Judge Krebs said it was a shame Lilo had such a lapse.

"You were drinking at a friend's house and made the unfortunate decision to drive home."

Lilo was fined $800. An Interlock order applied.

Graham also appeared for Anna Jane Clark, 38, who was charged with driving with a breath-alcohol level of 535 on November 13 at Dannevirke.

Graham told the court Clark had consumed a glass of wine while she cooked dinner then drove to town to buy groceries.

"I appreciate that you will be embarrassed to be here but it must have been a pretty big glass of wine to record a reading of 535."

Clark told the judge it was actually two glasses of wine that she had consumed.

Clark was fined $550, ordered to pay $130 court costs and disqualified from driving for six months.

"I hope you learn from this and we don't see you back in court."

Andrew Wallace, 59, was charged with driving with a breath-alcohol level of 586 in Dannevirke on December 28.

Judge Krebs said Wallace was stopped by police because of the manner of his driving.

"You were seen to cross the centre line twice, which is very dangerous. The safest way is if you have more than one drink, don't drive."

Judge Krebs said Wallace had one previous conviction for drink driving but that was in 2001, so he said he would treat this as a first offence.

Wallace was fined $750 and ordered to pay $130 costs and disqualified from driving for six months.

A further eight people also faced drink-driving charges but all were remanded to a later date for sentencing.