Piri Weepu apologises for drink driving on his instagram. / Instagram @piriweepu9
It was like any other graveyard shift for the staff at McDonald's Petone on Sunday, July 15.
Except that a national sporting hero was slumped over his steering wheel in their drive-thru while waiting for his 3am meal.
Former-All Black Piri Weepu had taken his partner's Holden on a late night - or early morning - trip to the fast food restaurant on Victoria St in search of something to eat.
But after ordering at the drive-thru window about 2.49am, Weepu fell asleep at the wheel of the car.
Instead of waking up to a Big Mac, Weepu found himself face to face with a breathalyser.
A McDonald's spokesman said staff at the Petone restaurant found a customer asleep in the drive-thru.
"They followed protocol and called the police, and have assisted with the investigation."
Weepu was fast asleep before the food he'd ordered at the drive-thru in McDonald's Petone could arrive. Photo / Mark Mitchell
It's not known what the 34-year-old was doing or how much he was drinking in the evening before he made the decision to drive drunk, but when police arrived he gave a breath alcohol reading above 400mcg. The legal limit is 250mcg.
Police brought Weepu back to the Lower Hutt station to carry out an evidential breath test, where he gave a reading of 600mcg - more than twice the legal limit.
The summary of facts does little to explain what caused the beloved rugby star to get behind the wheel after drinking.
"In explanation, the defendant stated that 'I was hungry and wanted to get food,'" it said. The former halfback, who became a national hero during the All Blacks' 2011 World Cup-winning campaign, was charged with driving with excess breath alcohol.
He appeared in the Hutt Valley District Court this morning, where he was called, convicted, and sentenced before you could say "chicken mcnuggets".
Weepu pleaded guilty and was fined $600, $130 courts costs, and was disqualified from driving for six months.
Outside court, he was reluctant to speak to the Herald, but when pressed on whether he had anything he wanted to say to his fans, Weepu said he was sorry for what he'd done and that he wanted to move on from it.
"I think I've let myself and my family down, so just got to make sure that I get back on track," he said.
He would make sure he didn't do it again, and would continue to do the things he was happy with, he said.
Piri Weepu appeared briefly in the Hutt Valley District Court this morning, where he was convicted and sentenced for driving with excess breath alcohol. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Immediately following his court appearance, Weepu recorded a video of himself, telling Instagram and Twitter followers that he was "taking it on the chin" and that what he did was "dumb and wrong".
"I'm extremely embarrassed and sorry to my family, my friends, and my community."
The shock announcement comes a week after Weepu's lawyer, Louise Sziranyi, battled for his identity to be kept a secret.
After receiving an application from the Herald to photograph Weepu at his scheduled first appearance on July 31, it is understood Sziranyi applied for an ex-parte suppression order, which was granted by a judge.
A judge can make an ex parte suppression order without all of the interested parties to a case being present, concealing the identity of the defendant until the matter can be properly heard in court.
A legal expert told the Herald ex parte orders are "unusual" and require "exceptional circumstances" to be granted.
"The average person wouldn't get this," said University of Canterbury dean of law Ursula Cheer.
An early suppression hearing was scheduled for Monday last week, which the Herald was not notified of due to an oversight, according to the Ministry of Justice.
It is not the first time Weepu has been on the wrong side of the law.
He was granted diversion on a disorderly behaviour charge relating to an incident in Wellington in 2008.
Police diversion is a system which allows first-time offenders to avoid conviction in exchange for pleading guilty and agreeing to perform community work.
Weepu was arrested in central Wellington after banging on a store window while trying to attract the attention of a friend. His lawyer at the time said the incident was "very minor".
Weepu, a 71-test All Black, retired from all forms of rugby in October last year.
After a career in which he wore the number nine jersey for the Hurricanes, Blues and All Blacks, as well as several overseas sides, Weepu spent what would be his final season playing for Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship.
Weepu made his provincial debut in 2003 for Wellington, playing with the Lions until 2011 when he switched to Auckland from 2012 to 2014.
Weepu currently hosts a show about hunting and gathering called Piri's Tiki Tour which screens on Māori Television.
