An Omarama fisherman who had been "striving to be offence-free" has been sentenced to home detention for his eighth drink-driving conviction. Photo / ODT
An Omarama fisherman who had been "striving to be offence-free" has been sentenced to home detention for his eighth drink-driving conviction.
Daniel Shane Bottle, 34, appeared in the Oamaru District Court on Wednesday in relation to a charge of drink-driving on Thames Highway, Oamaru, on August 18, last year. His breath-alcohol level was 837mcg per litre of breath.
Defence counsel Emma Middlemass said Bottle was in fulltime employment and "works hard to provide for this family".
Middlemass suggested that home detention was an appropriate sentence, and his employer was already taking steps to ensure he could continue working.
He had been "offence-free" for five years before this incident.
Judge Joanna Maze said there had been no fault with the defendant's driving, but the problem was with the number of previous convictions, which dated back to 2005.
She noted his last conviction had been in 2014, and he had stopped drinking and made a number of changes to his life. He was the sole income earner for a dependent family.
The recommendation by probation was for an electronically monitored sentence, she said.
Bottle was sentenced to four months' home detention, and 10 months' supervision with special conditions, to run concurrently.
He was disqualified from driving for 18 months.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.