KEY POINTS:
The young woman who fell asleep drunk at the wheel and blew five times the legal driving limit is returning to an alcohol rehabilitation clinic.
Melissa Rothwell, 27, pleaded guilty at the Hamilton District Court last week to driving with a breath alcohol reading of 1943mg per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mg per litre of breath. She was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for a year.
The sentencing community magistrate took into account the emotional interview that Rothwell gave to the Herald on Sunday earlier this month, in which she spoke about her fight with alcohol addiction. The magistrate told Rothwell that she had faced up to her problem.
On Friday Rothwell said she was "pleased" with the court's judgment after fearing she would be sentenced to home detention. "I had prepared myself for the worst scenario, I am pleased to have it sorted."
That includes fronting up voluntarily to a Waikato rehabilitation clinic tomorrow for an eight-week programme.
Rothwell, a former Vodafone and Ernst and Young marketing professional was found slumped over the wheel of her Renault on Tamaki Dr, Mission Bay by Bob Pennell, who was so concerned with her driving he had pulled her over and called police.
