Nine banned from driving

ANOTHER nine drinkdrivers are destined for the front page of AlliedPress owned Queenstown newspaper Mountain Scene.

They were all convicted, fined and banned from driving when they appeared at Queenstown District Court yesterday morning.

Frenchwoman Vanessa Lorenzini (29), living in Albert Town, near Wanaka, had the highest level of the day. She was almost four times the legal limit when she attempted to move her vehicle in a car park off the WanakaLuggate Highway, on June 24.

She drove into a ditch and was spotted by a passing police patrol.

An evidential breath test returned a reading of 966 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The criminal limit is 401mcg.

Lorenzini was fined $1000, ordered to pay $130 in court costs, and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Weekly newspaper Mountain Scene named 100 drinkdrivers on its front page last Thursday.

It has pledged to do the same for everyone convicted of drinkdriving in the district court for the rest of the year. Drinkdriver Christopher David Goldfinch (28) told Judge John BrandtsGiesen the campaign had ‘‘opened his eyes’’ to the problem in the town.

Goldfinch, representing himself, was denied a discharge without conviction yesterday. He had been caught by police on Hallenstein St, Queenstown, on February 10 with a level of 569mcg.

Goldfinch made submissions a conviction would be out of all proportion to the gravity of the offending as it could prohibit him from travelling to certain countries, such as Canada.

He has to travel overseas for his fledgling technology business.

But Judge BrandtsGiesen said the immigration waiver system would mean he was not automatically barred from entry.

Judge BrandtsGiesen said dischargewithoutconviction applications were ‘‘in a way, a card of salvation for affluent people who travel for business, while others have to carry the burden of a conviction . . . Parliament did not intend that’’.

The courts were clear drinkdriving was a scourge and he assessed the offending as moderate.

‘‘People have to be held accountable for what they have done and punished for transgressions as evenhandedly as possible.’’

Goldfinch was fined $700, ordered to pay $130 court costs, and disqualified for six months.

Like Lorenzini, another drinkdriver with a ‘‘very, very high level’’ Judge BrandtsGiesen said was Emma Mahoney (32).

The British woman was caught on Thompson St, Queenstown, on June 23, with a level of 932mcg. She was fined $1100, court costs $130, and disqualified for eight months.

Other drinkdrive convictions

Sheldon Chant (22), of Queenstown, drinkdriving, 855mcg, Stanley St, Queenstown, June 14, fined $950, court costs $130, disqualified nine months.

Carla Anne Munro (42), writer, of Wanaka, drinkdriving, 785mcg, Coronation Dr, Queenstown, June 24, fined $800, court costs $130, disqualified seven months.

Taylor Carol Kennedy (20), of Queenstown, drinkdriving, 516mcg, Arrowtown, June 17, fined $600, court costs $130, disqualified six months.

Matheus Zavagli Freitas (22), of Queenstown, drinkdriving, 497mcg, Gorge Rd, Queenstown, June 24, fined $500, court costs $130, disqualified six months.

Ross John Frazer (29), of UK, drinkdriving, 465mcg, Hallenstein St, Queenstown, June 16, fined $500, court costs $130, disqualified six months.

Oliver James Southwell (31), freelancer of Auckland, drinkdriving, 450mcg, Park St, Queenstown, June 17, $400, $130 court costs, disqualified six months.

Other conviction

Bernard James Paul Kearney (53), machine operator of Queenstown, cultivating cannabis and possession of cannabis plants, seeds, resin and cannabis pipe, May 16, Queenstown, 12 months’ supervision, 200 hours’ community work, order for destruction.