A 24-year-old woman who crashed head-on into a power pole was this week told by a judge it was the type of incident that often resulted in death from drinking and driving.

Luanna Sellina Amataiti appeared before Judge Alistair Garland in the Invercargill District Court on two charges of causing bodily injury while driving with a blood alcohol level of 154mg on December 1.

She was sentenced to nine months' jail with leave to apply for home detention if a suitable address was found. She was also disqualified from driving for two years, authorised to apply for a three-year zero-alcohol licence and ordered to pay $2998.81 reparation.

Judge Garland said Amataiti was distracted by a back-seat passenger while she was driving. She drove off the road onto the footpath and crashed head- on into a power pole, knocking it across the road and bringing down live power wires, Judge Garland said.

One passenger suffered a large laceration to his head and the other suffered small cuts and was concussed, he said.

Amataiti told police she knew she was over the limit and should not have been driving. She was also the holder of a learner's licence at the time.

Judge Garland said it was precisely the sort of crash one would read about in the newspaper when young people who had been drinking and driving were killed.

Amataiti's lawyer, Jono Ross, said she had arranged for a sober driver but they had left. No-one had owned up to who was driving but four weeks later Amataiti went to the police station and confessed.

Theft

Drew Shaun Leishman, 18, was sentenced to 150 hours' community work and ordered to pay $1301.75 reparation for stealing a vehicle on December 21.

Assault

Isaac Albert Marama, 24, of Australia, was fined $500 for assaulting a bouncer on March 8. The court was told Marama was at a nightclub when he was asked by the bar manager to leave because of his behaviour. Security was called to accompany him from the premises and he punched one of the security men in the face. Judge Garland said the man had only been doing his job, which was at times difficult and stressful, and more so when people reacted like Marama did.

Offensive behaviour

Kane Tamati Smith was fined $500 for behaving in an offensive manner and failing to give his name and details to police on February 28. The court was told Smith was in possession of alcohol in a liquor-ban area and when spoken to by police he provided false details. He was seen five minutes later urinating within clear view of the street and was arrested, again providing false details.

Intentional damage

Quentin Stuart Anderson, 39, was remanded on bail until Friday for intentionally damaging a wall and damaging a house with intent to intimidate a person on February 19.

Jamie Robert Moseley, 17, was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months, and to pay reparation, for intentionally damaging a fence at Cromwell on February 15.

Breach

David Roy Wane, 33, was remanded on bail until April 23 for sentence for breaching a protection order and assaulting the protected person on February 24.

John Brent Taumata was sentenced to 225 hours' community work for three charges of breaching release conditions on June 8 and 13.

Toby Lawrence Nimmo, 25, was sentenced to 40 hours' community work for breaching community work on January 25.

Drink-driving

Dylan Eric Shearer, 19, was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for six months for driving with a breath alcohol level of 490mcg on March 10.

Zane Allan Wayne Templeton, 749mcg on February 22. Fined $750 and disqualified for seven months.

Cristy Maree Henderson was sentenced to 80 hours' community work, disqualified for nine months and authorised to apply for a three-year zero- alcohol licence for driving with a blood alcohol level of 116mg on December 24.

- © Fairfax NZ News