Man jailed after 26 drink-driving charges

Recidivist drink driver Raymond Laing has been sentenced to three years in prison on his 26th drink driving conviction.

When the 44-year-old Hastings man was stopped in Napier in April, he blew almost three times the legal limit for breath alcohol - 1198 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

It was the seventh time he had blown more than 1000mcg and the 31st time he had been caught driving while disqualified.

Appearing in the Napier District Court this morning, Judge Richard Watson described Laing as a considerable risk to the community and imposed the maximum sentence. He was also disqualified from driving indefinitely.

Judge Watson said one third of all fatal accidents in New Zealand occurred because drink drivers were behind the wheel.

Laing was now a statistic and it was likely that at some point in time he would be involved in a fatal accident, Judge Watson said.

"That's the extent of the risk you pose to the safety of the community."

In 2010, Laing was jailed for two years and six months for drink-driving, refusing to give blood, assault and dangerous driving causing injury.

He was also indefinitely disqualified from holding a driver's licence.

- © Fairfax NZ News