Drink-driver pretends to have gang connections

A drink-driver who was more than four times over the limit claimed to have gang connections when he was pulled over.

Gareth Jones, 29, from

Spring Creek, told police that he would ‘‘do what he wanted, because the Black Power said so’’, the Blenheim District Court heard.

His lawyer said the man was not associated with a gang, however.

Jones was being sentenced on charges of driving with excess blood alcohol and excess breath alcohol.

A police summary of facts said at about 1.31am on April 9, Jones had been driving a vehicle on Muller Rd in Blenheim before police stopped him for speeding.

Police noticed a strong smell of alcohol and a breath test found he had 561 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250 micrograms.

A blood test returned a result of 115 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, more than twice the legal limit of 50 milligrams. He told police he hadn’t been drinking.

A week later at around 7.26pm on April 16, Jones was driving a vehicle on Queen St in Blenheim and was stopped by police in relation to another matter.

Jones got out of his vehicle and police noticed he had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and was uncoordinated in his movements. They also noticed a strong smell of alcohol.

Jones admitted to having recently consumed alcohol, and a subsequent breath test found he had 1113 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, over four times the legal limit.

In court on Monday, Jones’ lawyer Josh Smith said he wanted to make ‘‘very clear’’ that Jones was ‘‘not associated with any gangs, despite the comment that he did make to the police’’.

‘‘He admits that he numbs himself with alcohol, and he acts without regard or consequences,’’ Smith said.

Judge Jo Rielly said she wouldn’t be sentencing Jones on the basis that his ‘‘offending behaviour had anything to do with an involvement in a gang’’.

‘‘It may well be that it’s just because you were so significantly affected by alcohol, you said something flippant,’’ Judge Rielly said.

Jones was sentenced to nine months home detention which included both standard and special conditions, such as to attend an assessment for alcohol and drug addiction.

Jones was pulled over by police on Queen St, Blenheim on April 16, where he blew more than double the legal alcohol limit.