Keep list of promises handy, offender told

A young Blenheim offender has been told that he needs to put on his bedroom door the promises he wrote for a district court judge.

The written pledge by Hayden John Roberts, 20, was presented to Judge Michael Behrens in the Blenheim District Court this week when Roberts appeared for sentencing on a number of charges relating to offences committed between December 2008 and May 10 this year.

The letter recorded Roberts' commitment to changing his ways, said lawyer Bryony Millar.

Judge Behrens read it, then handed it back and told Roberts to put it on his door so he could read it regularly.

Roberts had admitted a series of thefts, including two digital cameras, $758 in Thai currency, $500 cash, and an MP3 player. He also dishonestly used another person's Visa card five times, and drove dangerously on May 10 with breath alcohol of 1096 micrograms per litre of breath, 696mcg above the legal limit.

He also admitted breaching an earlier community work sentence.

Roberts was sentenced to a series of community detention, running concurrently and totalling six months.

He must complete his outstanding hours of community work, and was also disqualified from driving for nine months.