Bartender will now be walking home

A Whangarei bartender thought he would drive home as it was not far away, but his high breath alcohol level, discovered after he crashed his car, has seen him banned from driving for eight months.

Corey John HANNAN, 20, appeared in Whangarei District court on charges of careless driving and driving with excess breath alcohol after an accident on Pipiwai Rd on December 17.

At 11.45pm that night, Hannan was driving home, but lost control on a moderate right hand bend. The vehicle slid to the side of the road, hit a fence post and spun clockwise. The front passenger door struck a second post, but by this time the momentum of the vehicle had slowed, preventing the post from hitting the front-seat passenger.

A test showed a level of 1078 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, more than double the 400mcg adult limit.

In explanation Hannan told police that he was just around the corner from his home.

He was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for eight months.

Northland has some of the highest rates of drink-driving in the country, particularly repeat offenders.

The Northern Advocate

is publishing its name and shame list of all people convicted of drinkdriving offences in the region.

Also sentenced in Northland’s courts recently were:

Coral Ann HILL, 57, 541mcg, 250 hours’ community work, disqualified from driving for 12 months for third drink-driving conviction.

Margaret Ann MURIWAI, 25, unemployed, 556mcg, three months’ community detention, 12 months’ intensive supervision, disqualified from driving indefinitely for fourth drink-driving conviction.

Karlene Whetu TAYLOR, 24, unemployed, 591mcg, 50 hours’ community work, disqualified from driving for six months.

James MORGAN, 18, 448mcg, $350 fine, $132 court costs, disqualified from driving for six months.

Leo Charles STIRLING, 34, 197 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 100 hours’ community work, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Kene TEWHATA, 46, 679mcg, 120 hours’ community work, disqualified from driving for nine months.

Alison WELHAM, 18, 774mcg, 150 hours’ community work, nine months’ supervision, disqualified from driving for six months.

Robert Falcon SCOTT, 18, 198mcg, $175 fine, $132 court costs, disqualified from driving for three months.