Recidivist offender jailed for 22 months | Northland News | Local News in Northland

After nine drink driving convictions and 17 for driving while disqualified, jail was inevitable for a Northland man caught behind the wheel while almost three times the legal alcohol limit.

Samuel PIRINI, 43, appeared in Kaikohe District Court on charges of driving with excess breath alcohol for a third or subsequent time and driving while disqualified for a third or subsequent time, after being stopped on Mangakahia Rd, Kaikohe, at 12.50am on September 24.

When spoken to by police, Pirini smelt strongly of alcohol and a test showed he had a level of 1153 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, almost three times the 400mcg adult limit.

Pirini, who had been banned from driving for three years in June 2009, had nine previous convictions for drink driving and 17 for driving while disqualified.

He gave no explanation for his actions and was jailed for 22 months and disqualified from driving for two years from June 6.

Northland has the highest rate of recidivist drink drivers in the country and the Northern Advocate is publishing its "name and shame" list of all people convicted of drink driving offences in the region.

Also sentenced in Northland's courts recently were:

Elliot RETI, 20, 682mcg, six months' community detention, disqualified from driving for six months for third drink driving conviction.

Levi REEVES, 20, 849mcg, one months' jail, disqualified from driving for six months.

Sarah Bonita RIHARI, 36, 547mcg, $500 fine, $132 costs, disqualified from driving for six months.

Juanita Joyce Christina WHITE, 19, 240mcg, $250 fine, $132 costs, disqualified from driving for six months.

Nathan Matai PUKEROA, 20, 629mcg, $550 fine, $132 costs, disqualified from driving for six months.

Karl Henry SEMENOFF, 52, dairy farmer, 126 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, $600 fine $132 court costs, disqualified from driving for six months.

Paul Marcus CORDEN, 37, 116mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, $600 fine, $132 court cots, disqualified from driving for six months.

Legal limits: Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Under 20: Until August 7, it was 150mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 30mg of alcohol per 100ml. From August 7, it's zero tolerance. Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 (the legal limit for under 20s until August 7, 2011) will receive an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points. Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit over that will face the same penalties as adults.