Drink driver makes all right moves, avoids jail

A New Plymouth business owner will spend four months on the wagon while on home detention after being caught for his fourth drink-driving offence.

Edward Glasgow had been given a final warning in 2003 when he last blew over the limit, Judge Allan Roberts said. While Glasgow was of a mature age and had developed and founded a business that carried his name, he had finally admitted he had suffered from excess liquor intake for a long time.

Glasgow had the common sense to do something about it and go to counselling, and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, the judge said. He ordered four month's home detention, allowing him to continue to run his business, with the special condition that Glasgow continue with his counselling, keep off the alcohol "and I will not see you again." Glasgow was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day.

Anamari Stone, in court for her fifth drink-driving offence, was not treated so leniently.

The judge told Stone that she was a safety risk on the road after the latest incident when she avoided a checkpoint by driving through a motel.

When stopped, she blew 741mg per litre of breath, nearly twice the limit of 400mg.

Stone was currently undertaking alcohol and drug counselling, her lawyer, Turitea Bolstad said.

But Judge Roberts said Stone had never completed any sentences of community work. Her pre-sentence report suggested she did not acknowledge having a drinking problem and questioned whether the recent counselling move was merely window dressing.

Stone was handed down a 2 1/2 month prison sentence and was disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day.

- © Fairfax NZ News