Woman drink driver caught twice in one month

A Whangarei woman caught drink driving twice within a month has been sentenced to community detention and banned from driving.

Merle Kawa EVERITT, 23, appeared in Whangarei District Court for sentencing on two charges of driving with excess breath alcohol.

Everitt was first stopped by police on Otaika Rd, Whangarei, at 1.08am on October 1, 2011 and a test revealed she had a level of 711 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

In explanation she told police she had only had two cans of bourbon before driving. She was charged with drink driving and had her driving licence suspended for 28 days because the level was over 650mcg.

Everritt was stopped by police again while driving on Maunu Rd at 9pm on October 23, 2011 and she admitted she was a suspended driver. A test showed she had a level of 896mcg.

She was sentenced to six months' community detention and disqualified from driving for eight months.

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

Walter Dion BELLASS, 70, 738mcg, 250 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day for fourth drink driving conviction.

Ross Ivan JONES, 60, technician, 700mcg, six months' community detention, disqualified from driving for 15 months for third drink driving conviction.

Brendon PARDOE, 30, 1195mcg, 80 hours' community work, six months' supervision, disqualified from driving for eight months.

Reginald Leslie OLLIVER, 24, 589mcg, $500 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Freda Karen GEROS, 41, 874mcg, $850 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Liquor limits - Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Under 20: Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 will receive an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points. Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit over that will continue to be subject to the same drink drive penalties as adults.