Anti-drink-driving advocate over limit

A United States woman who was an advocate against drink-driving in her home country was sentenced for the same crime in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.

Bretlyn Curtis, 24, waitress, was found guilty of driving with a blood alcohol level of 225mg on February 13.

Lawyer Phena Bryne told Judge Dominic Flatley that Curtis was extremely remorseful and embarrassed by her actions because she had been head of an anti-drink-driving group when she was a student in the US.

She said Curtis had been involved in an argument with a co-worker and had started to walk home to Fernhill when she passed by her car and made the wrong decision to drive.

Curtis understood how bad a decision it had been and was thankful she had been stopped by police after a couple of metres, Ms Byrne said.

Judge Flatley fined Curtis $1200 and disqualified her from driving for nine months.

Assault
Wesley Stephen Kidd, 30, painter, was fined $1000 and ordered to pay $500 emotional harm reparation for assault on December 19.

Urbain Dewilde Lawrence, 20, engineer, of Invercargill, was fined $500 for assault on January 1.

Theft
Sharn Daniel Stewart, 22, concrete layer, of Wanaka, was sentenced to 50 hours' community work and nine months' supervision for stealing a chrome bottle tap from a bar on February 18 at Wanaka.Disorderly behaviourEnekoitz Garay Urrutia, 31, shop assistant, was fined $750 for disorderly behaviour and possessing cannabis on March 4.

Ryan Alexander Karauria, 19, sentenced to 60 hours' community work and ordered to pay $500 reparation for disorderly behaviour and intentional damage on February 27.DishonestyKarine Silva Souza, 33, waitress, was fined $600 and ordered to pay $200 reparation for withdrawing money from her friend's credit card three times without his knowledge on January 15 and January 28.

Sumita Devi, 21, of Fiji, was fined $1400 and ordered to pay $2567.10 reparation for falsely using a document to gain advantage, three times, between December 6 and December 29.

Cannabis
Taiawhio Rangi Anderson, 36, unemployed, was sentenced to eight months' jail for possession of cannabis and possessing utensils on April 23, cultivating cannabis on January 21 and possessing cannabis for supply.

Breach
Mare Spark, 25, was sentenced to 75 hours' community work for breaching his community work on February 13.

Burglary
Jacob McColl, 20, of Wanaka, was sentenced to 175 hours' community work, nine months' supervision and ordered to pay $40 reparation for stealing slabs of drinks from the Hammer and Nail bar on January 28 in Wanaka.

Obstruction
Lindsay Aiden Dixon, 37, driver, was sentenced to 75 hours' community work for obstructing police on February 20 at Dunedin.

Drink-driving
Fiona Gaye Davies-McConchie, 50, of Wanaka, was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for six months for driving with a breath alcohol level of 543mcg on February 12 at Wanaka.

Gregory Robert Dixon, 40, builder, was sentenced to 100 hours' community work and disqualified for nine months for driving with a blood alcohol level of 150mg on February 5.

Stephen Robert Doyle, 26, retailer, 134mg on January 29 and careless operation of a motor vehicle on September 13. Fined $725 and disqualified for six months.

Amber Colburn, 29, bar manager, 812mcg on May 20. Fined $900 and disqualified for six months.

Megan Lisa Anderson, 19, of Arrowtown, 388mcg on December 17 (under 20, third subsequent). Sentenced to six weeks' jail and disqualified for 10 months.

Andrew Rory Voss, 26, supervisor, 124mg and stealing a car on November 29 at Cromwell. Sentenced to 400 hours' community work and disqualified for 12 months.

- © Fairfax NZ News