Mr Hard said Carr was almost at the point of being trespassed from Work and Income which had prevented him from getting financial help.
But judge Michael Behrens said he did not accept that Carr was unable to obtain the benefit.
Carr admitted he has, in fact, applied for a WINZ benefit and is in the process of receiving it.
Carr was also convicted of wilful trespass, driving with excess breath alcohol and a breach of release conditions.
According to a police summary of facts, on January 18, 2013, at about 2.20am, Carr was trespassed for two years from the Wairarapa Hospital campus.
At about 10.45am that day he returned to the campus. Carr walked across the grounds at the front of the hospital and along the footpath outside the hospital laboratory.
He then went and sat in the bus shelter within the hospital grounds, before wandering across the road to the bottle store opposite the hospital.
He returned a short time later to the hospital grounds where he was drinking alcohol in the rose gardens.
Police found him in the rose gardens, intoxicated and Carr admitted knowing he had been trespassed earlier from the hospital grounds.
In explanation, he said he had wanted to see his brother who works at the hospital, that he knew the risk and was willing to be arrested.
Judge Behrens sentenced Carr to 80 hours' community work for all four charges and disqualified him from driving for one year and one day.
