Doc disqualified from driving as hand gel excuse fails

CRAIG SIMCOX/The Dominion Post

FINED AND DISQUALIFIED: Wairarapa Hospital surgeon Ian Denholm has been convicted of drunk-driving.

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A Wairarapa surgeon who tried to get off a drink-drive charge by blaming alcoholic handwash has been convicted.

Ian Denholm, 53, head of orthopaedic surgery at Wairarapa Hospital, had argued he had an extraordinary ability to absorb alcohol in the gel because of eczema-damaged skin.

His arguments failed to wash and he was convicted in Wellington District Court this morning.

He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

However Judge Stephen Harrop agreed to defer the disqualification till January 23, as Denholm is the on-call surgeon for the Wairarapa areas over Christmas and New Years period and needs to drive for that role.

Judge Harrop had adjourned the case earlier this month to give Denholm and his lawyer more time to obtain supporting evidence in support of a discharge, but no arguments were offered today.

- © Fairfax NZ News