Nurse struggles with alcoholism, caught drink driving while four times the legal limit

The nurse was followed by concerned members of the public and recorded a breath test more than four times the legal limit. Photo / Duncan Brown

An alcoholic nurse caught drink driving more than four times over the legal limit says she’s a different person now and wants to change.

The nurse, who has interim name suppression, was seen by members of the public, who were concerned about her driving on August 25. They followed her into a car park where she had stopped the car and stayed with her until police arrived.

The nurse admitted to consuming alcohol but said she only had two glasses of wine about two hours earlier and was struggling at work.

A breath test revealed she had 1611 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, just over four times the legal limit of 400 micrograms.

In the Christchurch District Court today her lawyer Rupert Ward said she is a different person now. He said she has worked out that her alcohol problem doesn’t make her a different kind of human being, but just that it was a bit of “bad luck”.

He said she has no desire to drive and comes from a very loving family, with her father in court to support her. She even plans to sell her car, as she can walk to her workplace.

Community Magistrate Sally O’Brien said the pre-sentence report stated the nurse has come to terms with her alcoholism and accepts she desperately needs help.

She added it was good to know that the nurse was taking steps to change by attending support meetings and said a supervision order was to ensure she is supported.

O’Brien sentenced the nurse to 12 months of supervision and disqualified her from driving for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay a $1600 fine and court costs of $130.