Off to jail ... but first, one for the road

Rachael Brown was seven months pregnant when caught drink-driving for the eighth time.

A woman who was seven months pregnant when caught drink-driving for the eighth time went straight to the pub after a court appearance yesterday.

Rachael Brown, who has never held a driver's licence and was banned in 2005 from ever having one, was to have been sentenced in the Rotorua District Court for drink-driving and driving while disqualified.

A judge had previously warned the 38-year-old that home detention was "definitely not" an option and she was looking at a lengthy jail term.

But sentencing was delayed until May for a pre-sentencing report.

Brown was stopped by police on July 26, 2006, after she indicated to turn right out of Homedale St in Rotorua but turned left. She appeared to be trying to avoid a police checkpoint, police said.

Her breath-alcohol level was measured at 994mcg per litre of breath - 594mcg over the legal limit.

Two passengers were in the car, and Brown told the police she was driving because she was the least drunk of the three.

It was her eighth drink-driving conviction and her 15th for driving while disqualified.

Yesterday, Brown had to be told by Judge Phillip Cooper to be quiet as she yelled out during other court cases while she waited in the public gallery.

Her group of supporters yelled "thank you" to the judge before Brown was taken to the back of the court-house to fill out a bail application.

She met them later at VC's Turf Bar, near the court, yelling abuse at waiting reporters.

Brown had denied the two charges but changed her pleas to guilty in January. She was remanded on bail only because she is the sole caregiver of her two children and is looking after her partner's children while he is in jail, Rotorua's Daily Post reported.

"If not for them, you would be remanded in custody," Judge Chris McGuire told Brown.

The charges carry penalties of up to two years' imprisonment, $6000 fines and disqualification from driving.