"However, you didn't apply for a licence and you didn't seek a licence. Instead, you drove a motor vehicle on the 10th of March this year in Whanganui and you were grossly intoxicated.
"You crashed your car into the back of someone else's car at about half past nine at night, but the road conditions were excellent."
Moderate damage was done to the car and police caught up with Mulligan following complaints made by the public.
"In explanation, you said that you didn't remember crashing the car, which again is evidence as to exactly how intoxicated you were," Judge Spear said.
"This is serious offending because of the level of intoxication, because of the fact that you were forbidden from driving and because you also had an accident."
Judge Spear said Mulligan had demonstrated that he is a recidivist offender in relation to drink-driving.
Mulligan's drink driving conviction in 2018 follows convictions for the same offence in 1988, 1995, 2005 and 2014.
"Here you are at 49 years of age, still drinking and driving at a time when you are grossly intoxicated.
"The focus of the court must be on public safety and you are someone who continues to present as a real danger on the road to other members of the public."
Judge Spear then sentenced Mulligan to six months' imprisonment and noted that he is indefinitely disqualified from driving or obtaining a driver's license.
