Former Warrior convicted of drink-driving

Former New Zealand Warrior Tevita Latu came before Auckland District Court last month. Photo / Brett Phibbs, NZ Herald

A former Warriors player and rugby league international now has a drink-driving conviction to add to his list of indiscretions.

Tevita Pakai Leo Latu, 34, came before Auckland District Court last month after being stopped by police on Karangahape Rd in the city on October 4.

According to court documents, he blew a reading of 639 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

The new limit is 250mcg.

Latu was back in court today where he pleaded guilty and was banned from driving for the mandatory minimum of six months.

He was also fined $600, the court confirmed.

The one-test Kiwi international hooker, also represented Tonga, played 22 games for the Warriors between 2003 and 2005 before scoring a contract with the Cronulla Sharks in Australia.

But he was sacked after punching aspiring model Brooke Peninton and breaking her nose at a service station in the early hours of the morning.

And that was not the first time the athlete had been in court.

Months before heading over the Tasman he was convicted of fighting in a public place and ordered to pay court costs after a brawl outside a nightclub.

He later moved to England, where he spent four seasons with Wakefield Trinity, but made headlines in 2007 after copping a six-match ban for racism.

The 34-year-old called opposition player Kevin Penny a "n*****" during a game against Warrington but told English media he was not a racist.

"It all happened so quickly and the words just came out," Latu said at the time. "I'm no racist - I'm the same colour anyway."

More recently, the rugby league veteran plied his talents with Pt Chevalier Pirates, whom he helped to a Fox Memorial grand final win a month before the alleged drink-driving incident.