Doctor’s third offence

A Hawke’s Bay doctor caught drink-driving for a third time has been sentenced to community detention and disqualified from driving indefinitely.

Dr Ian McDonald, 55, appeared in the Napier District Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to drink driving for a third time.

McDonald was driving a Mercedes from a Napier supermarket car park at 10.30pm on November 18 last year when he was stopped by police.

When breath tested he blew a reading of 1352 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The limit is 250mcg. It was lowered from 400mcg in December 2014.

It was McDonald’s third conviction for drink driving. The others occurred in 2003 and 2015.

His lawyer, Russell Fairbrother QC, said there was little risk of reoffending and McDonald was facing restrictions by his professional body.

Measures had to be taken to protect the community, Judge Tony Adeane said, before sentencing McDonald to three months of community detention and disqualifying him from driving indefinitely.

A police application to confiscate the car was declined.

McDonald will have to prove he has dealt with his alcohol problem before he can apply to have the indefinite disqualification ended.

The maximum penalty drink driving for a third time is two years of imprisonment or a $6000 fine.

When a doctor is convicted of an offence carrying a term of imprisonment of 3 months or longer, the Medical Council is required to refer the matter to a professional conduct committee.