A Blenheim man was caught on his seventh drink-driving offence while going out to get milk.

In the Blenheim District Court yesterday Richard Andrew McIntyre, 52, a builder of Redwoodtown, admitted a charge of excess blood alcohol of 115mg (legal limit is 80mg) a third or subsequent offence and was sentenced to six months' supervision, 250 hours' community work and disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Prosecutor Mark Harris said when police stopped McIntyre in Alabama Rd on September 19 he admitted having a few beers with friends for his birthday and did not realise he would be over the limit. Defence lawyer Rennie Gould said McIntyre had a few birthday drinks with friends and had not eaten when he went out to get some milk.

Judge Tony Zohrab said it was Hutchinson's seventh drink-driving conviction.

However, Mrs Gould said his last conviction for drink-driving was in 2005 and the others stretched back to the 1970s and 1980s. The level was also fairly low and would not have attracted a significant sentence without his previous convictions, she said.

Judge Zohrab said some of McIntyre's past convictions had been for high levels and his decision to drive suggested there were still issues around his drinking.

Also appearing on drink-driving charges yesterday:

Amber Lee Henderson, 28, of Picton admitted eba 820mcg and was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $725.

Mr Harris said Henderson was driving south on SH1 near Koromiko about 1.45pm on September 21 when a car towing a boat turned across the road in front of her. She braked and skidded 34.5 metres before hitting the car and trailer damaging both, he said.

When police arrived Henderson showed signs of having been drinking and there was an open bottle of wine in the car, he said.

Mrs Gould said Henderson was very upset on her way to visit a friend who had cancer and had just been discharged from Christchurch hospital.

The accident was not caused by her, it was caused by the other vehicle, but she accepted her reaction times were impaired, she said. Henderson had sought alcohol counselling after the accident.

Hayley Dawn Mortimer-Jones, 23, of Wairau Valley, admitted a charge of eba 593mcg, a third or subsequent offence, and was remanded for sentencing on November 26.

Mr Harris said that when Mortimer-Jones was stopped in Anglesea St, Renwick, on September 28 she admitted drinking three cans of bourbon and cola.

Mrs Gould said Mortimer-Jones' last drink-driving conviction had been three years ago.

Judge Zohrab said he was remanding Mortimer-Jones for a report as it was her third drink-driving conviction in a short space of time. He told her she would be indefinitely disqualified.

Under new drink-driving laws which came into effect in August she would also be subject to a drink-driving limit for three years if she got her licence back.

He agreed to hold an order for the confiscation of her car until sentencing as it was a car she shared with her husband.

Zane Richard Johnson, 23, a vineyard worker of Witherlea, admitted eba 533mcg, a third or subsequent offence, and was indefinitely disqualified from driving and sentenced to six months' supervision and 180 hours' community work.

Judge Zohrab said if Johnson got his licence back he would be subject to a zero drink-drive limit for three years after getting his licence.

Mr Harris said Johnson was stopped by police while driving in Blenheim about 12.13am on September 13. Defence lawyer John Holdaway said Johnson had a few beers before going to the Tasman Makos rugby match at Lansdowne Park and he did not drink very often. Judge Zohrab said Johnson's two previous convictions were for being over the zero alcohol limit for under 20s, but given he had three convictions within a short time it would be good for him to have alcohol counselling.

Mohit Savargaonkar, 23, of Picton, admitted eba 655mcg and was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $580.

Mr Harris said Savargaonkar was stopped at a routine police stop about 2am on October 7. He told police he had drunk three and a half stubbies before driving and thought he would be OK to drive as he had previously blown under the limit after drinking the same amount.

Shannon Mikel Rowe, 31, of Picton, admitted eba 614mcg and was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $540.

Mr Harris said Rowe told police she was heading home when she was stopped in Hampden St, Picton, about 1am on September 22.

Mr Arnott said it was Rowe's first appearance in court and she had assured him it would be her last.

Ethan Raymond Jessop, 21, a labourer of Picton, admitted eba 497mcg and was disqualified from driving for 10 months, sentenced to 80 hours' community work and six months' supervision including alcohol counselling.

Judge Zohrab said because it was his second drink-driving conviction in a short space of time under the new laws Jessop would be subject to a zero drink-drive limit for three years after getting his licence back. Mr Harris said Jessop told police he was dropping a friend home when he was stopped by police at 1.40am on October 7.

Mr Arnott said Jessop had lost his job because of the offence. He had a previous drink-driving conviction from 2008 and accepted he had a problem with alcohol.

- The Marlborough Express