14th conviction for repeat drink-driver

One of New Zealand's worst repeat drink-drivers has been caught again, racking up his 40th driving conviction – 14 of them for drink-driving.

Richard Steven Rowe, 46, of the Bay of Plenty, is in custody awaiting sentencing in April for his latest drink-driving conviction. He faces up to two years' jail and disqualification from driving for more than a year.

But lobbyists say that's not enough – it's time Rowe was off the road for good.

Rowe, of Waimana near Whakatane, was picked up in Hamilton last month with a breath alcohol level of 1039 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol per litre of breath – 2 1/2 times over the limit. At the time, he was on home detention for a drink-driving conviction incurred last year, but it is not clear if being in Hamilton breached that. It is believed his other 26 convictions are largely for driving while disqualified.

Lobby group CrossRoads, part of the Sensible Sentencing Trust, wants Rowe off the road permanently. Spokeswoman Ursula Keogh says Rowe is a typical recidivist drink-driver who has continually demonstrated he is a peril to other road users.

"Allowing him to drive is playing Russian roulette with the lives of innocent people," she said.

Auckland lawyer Patrick Winkler said recidivist drink drivers could be "indefinitely" disqualified from driving if convicted of drink-driving in the previous five years and recorded a breath alcohol reading of above 1000mcg, or refused a blood test.

Offenders disqualified indefinitely can regain their licence by completing an alcohol rehabilitation course and re-sitting the test.

The Star-Times understands Rowe has regularly been before the courts for driving-related offences since 1982.

His repeat-offending tops that of a Milton, South Island, man who appeared in Alexandra District Court in January with more than 30 previous driving convictions. William Charles White, 40, was remanded in custody.

Also among the country's worst recidivist drink-drive offenders are Tauranga's Phillip Noble, 45, who was jailed in February last year after his 17th drink-drive conviction and sixth driving-while-disqualified charge, and Karl Hartmann of Wellington, 44, who has 34 driving convictions, including 11 for drink-driving.

This month the government announced a new 10-year road safety strategy that included introducing a zero alcohol limit for a period after a drink-drive conviction and a plan to lower the adult drink-drive limit from 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood to 50 milligrams. Cabinet will decide next month.

Keogh called the strategy a "victory for prevention". A zero breath-alcohol limit for second-time offenders and increased penalties for drink drivers who killed were effective and targeted measures that would reduce the destruction caused by recidivist offenders, she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News