Lights-out pursuit leads to year in jail

A drink-driver who thought police would have to stop chasing him if he drove at speed with his lights off has been jailed for a year.

Clinton Carl Booth, of Tuakau, was sentenced in the Pukekohe Court on Wednesday for reckless driving and driving with excess breath alcohol.

Following a lengthy police chase he was found to have 512 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath - the legal limit is 400 micrograms.

While other people have blown three times his reading and only received community service, Booth was specifically jailed for a year on the drink-driving charge. He received three months for the reckless driving charge.

Police have applauded the lengthy drink-driving sentence, believing it was handed out by Judge John Clapham as a deterrent to others who drive while under the influence.

The court heard Booth, a 44-year-old beneficiary, was over the limit when police tried to pull him over on July 12. Instead of stopping he drove 6km at speeds up to 150km/h in a 100km/h zone.

When a police car tried to block Booth he rammed it, turned off his headlights and continued driving at up to 120km/h in a 70km/h area.

Booth then drove dangerously through Pukekohe township, failing to stop at stop signs and overtaking cars in the face of oncoming traffic.

He narrowly missed hitting a police officer who had thrown spikes across the road to stop him before crashing through a farm fence and into a ditch.

It took three officers to bring the struggling man into the police station, where he gave a brief explanation for his actions.

"He ... stated he had failed to stop for police because he thought police had to stop pursuing him if he drove fast with his lights off," the police summary of facts said.

Booth has four previous drink driving convictions but they are relatively historic, with the last recorded in 1997.

Last month West Auckland teacher Joanna Winifred Wright was sentenced to 200 hours of community work for blowing 1583 micrograms per litre of breath - one of the highest readings on record. She had two previous drink driving convictions.

Prosecutor Sergeant Paul Watkins said police were happy with Booth's heavy sentence and hoped it would deter others from drink driving.