Drink-driver goes back to pub

A man caught drink driving allegedly found his way back to the pub.

A Whangarei man arrested for drink-driving was allegedly back at the pub within a couple of hours of being released - breaching his bail conditions and resulting in his second police encounter that night.

The 42-year-old Whangarei man was stopped driving along Water St at 9.30pm on Friday night, Acting Sergeant Jeremy Weston said.

He allegedly blew a reading of 596 micrograms per litre of breath - the legal limit for motorists aged 20 and over is 250mcg - and was arrested for the third or subsequent time for driving with excess breath/blood alcohol.

The man spent several hours at Whangarei Police Station, where he was bailed on the condition he not consume alcohol.

At 2am, officers monitoring the city's CCTV network allegedly saw the man drinking at a city bar.

When police approached the man he attempted to run away and was "taken to the ground", Mr Weston said.

The man appeared in Whangarei District Court on Saturday morning, with additional charges including breach of bail and resisting arrest.

Mr Weston said he was "picking" the man left the station and went straight to the pub. Two others were caught driving drunk around Whangarei over the weekend.

A 31-year-old man was stopped on Maunu Rd at 1.15am on Saturday, blowing 612mcg.

Then, on Sunday at 1am, a 30-year-old was snapped with a breath alcohol level of 476mcg as he drove along Hatea Drive.