Cousin's confession stops drink-drive hearing

A courtroom confession stopped a drink-driving status hearing in its tracks in the Christchurch District Court yesterday.

A young woman facing a charge of driving with an excess breath-alcohol level for a person under 20 stepped into the dock when her case was called.

A second young woman stood with her.

"Excuse me, Your Honour. I'm her cousin. I used her licence," she told Judge Gary MacAskill.

The judge suggested that a new charge - either giving false details or the more serious one of attempting to defeat the course of justice - might be laid.