Dunedin District Court

HE was ‘‘just and only just’’ not going to send her to prison, Judge Michael Crosbie told a drinkdriver who was also disqualified.

‘‘You had no right to drive at all, let alone to go and get a pie. You must have been almost catatonic,’’ he said.

Karen Lee Girdler (54), employed, of Dunedin, was before the Dunedin District Court yesterday convicted of driving with a breathalcohol level of 1157mcg, and while disqualified, in Taieri Rd, on May 11.

Girdler was driving about 20kmh and weaving across the road, about 2.20pm. Concerned by her driving, a member of the public called police, the fact summary said.

Located at her home, Girdler refused to undergo a breathscreening test and was arrested and taken to Dunedin Central Police Station.

In explanation, she stated she had just gone to the shop to buy a pie.

The judge said Girdler was sentenced on her second drinkdrive charge (level 969mcg, offence date December 13 last year) at the end of March this year. She was given community work and supervision, and disqualified. The current offending was less than two months after receiving the sentence.

Supervision was also imposed in 2014 on her first drinkdrive matter. That offence involved a level of 1256mcg, ‘‘as close as you can possibly get to death with alcohol in your system’’, the judge said.

Public defender Pete Tuala said Girdler ‘‘accepts and takes full responsibility for her action . . . She has now chosen to abstain from alcohol . . . Fear of going to prison motivates her.’’

Girdler was sentenced to six months’ home detention (with six months’ postdetention conditions). She was also disqualified from driving indefinitely (with zeroalcohol licence provisions to follow) and her vehicle was confiscated.