Drink-driver racks up 11th conviction

One of the country's worst repeat drink drivers is back behind bars after clocking up her 11th conviction for drink-driving and her sixth for driving while disqualified.

Raquel Kiwi has this time been jailed for 21 months after appearing in Tauranga District Court.

Kiwi also lost her licence for a further two years from October 14, 2013, although she remains indefinitely disqualified for life, unless she gets permission from the director of Land Transport Agency to resit her licence.

Kiwi, 30, of Te Puna, in the Bay of Plenty, has an unenviable record, including being jailed for killing her child in a drink-drive smash in 2004, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.

In her latest offending, Kiwi was caught drink-driving at about 1.55pm on December 2 after a member of the public saw her staggering from her vehicle in Takitimu Drive, Tauranga, and alerted police.

When breathalysed, Kiwi had an excess breath alcohol of 1370 micrograms - well over three times the adult limit of 400.

Indefinitely disqualified at the time, Kiwi was driving a stolen Mazda Familia which she had taken from an associate's house the day earlier, the court was told.

- NZPA