Jailed recidivist 'significant risk'

The "community needs a break" from Hayden Patrick Burling, a district court judge has declared.

Burling has been jailed for a year after being caught twice drink-driving within a six-day period, with both readings nearly double the legal limit.

Previously pleading guilty to two charges of drink driving, driving while suspended and possession of cannabis, Burling appeared before Judge Arthur Tompkins in Masterton District Court yesterday and was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment in total.

Defence lawyer James Elliott said his client had been exposed to alcohol from a young age with alcoholism issues affecting at least the past two generations of his family.

He had requested his client be admitted to a residential alcohol rehabilitation programme.

"All of his convictions stem from his addiction to alcohol."

He had a job lined up and would be supported by his mother if granted home detention, Mr Elliott said.

Judge Tompkins said Burling was stopped by police on November 23 and returned a alcohol blood reading of 179mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood and was suspended from driving. Six days later on November 29 he was stopped again by police and blew an alcohol reading of 713mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.

"He put other road users at significant risk," he said.

"The pattern is evident right through his criminal history. I'd have thought in the earlier sentence of imprisonment, that wake-up call would have occurred then ... the community needs a break, a period when Mr Burling is not drinking and driving on the road."

Judge Tompkins sentenced Burling to six months' jail on each of the driving charges to be served cumulatively with six months' post release conditions and disqualified him from driving for two years. He refused Burling leave to apply for home detention. 'You'll be off the road for two years from today."