Banned driver found over the alcohol limit

A Far North man has been jailed for driving while almost three-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit after he had earlier been forbidden to drive.

Andre George LAMBERT, 30, from Coopers Beach, appeared in the Kaitaia District Court for sentencing on charges of driving with excess breath-alcohol and driving while forbidden.

Police stopped Lambert in Waterfront Dr, Mangonui, on April 29 and was given a breath test.

He was found to have a level of 1377 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit for motorists aged 20 or more is 400mcg.

In explanation Lambert told police he just wanted to get home and a check revealed he had been forbidden to drive in 2005 until he obtained a driver's licence.

He was sentenced to three months' jail and disqualified from driving for eight months.

Northland has some of the highest rates of drink-driving, particularly repeat offenders, and the Northern Advocate is publishing its "name and shame" list of all people convicted of drink-driving offences in the region. Also sentenced in Northland's courts recently were:

Anthony Robert KEELING, 39, 1149mcg, six months' community detention, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day for third drink-driving conviction.

Gary PAPAROA, 21, 1032mcg, 60 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Roslyn DUNCAN, 33, unemployed, 584mcg, $650 fine, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Rudolf ROI, 28, unemployed, 696mcg, 100 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Darryl Martin FABRY, 19, 559mcg, $750 fine, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for eight months.

Floyd Wayne CRIBB, 18, 272mcg, $250 fine, disqualified from driving for three months.

Wayne Joseph AYRE, 35, 806mcg, $1000 fine, disqualified from driving for eight months.