Fourth time of drink driving

A 42-year-old Carterton fencer, convicted of his fourth drink driving offence, was sentenced to 200 hours community work when he appeared in Masterton District Court this week.

Jason Edwards was found to have had a breath alcohol level which was almost double the legal limit.

Sergeant Garry Wilson, prosecuting, said that at about 8.45pm on September 1, Edwards was stopped by police on Chapel St, Masterton, and officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol on him.

He admitted he had been drinking.

A subsequent breath test provided a positive result of 759mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.

The legal limit is 400mcg. Edwards told police that instead of stopping him they should be looking out for criminals.

He had four previous convictions for driving offences, three of which were related to drink driving. Judge Ian Mill said that in view of Edwards' string of previous convictions for driving offences he thought 200 hours community work was a suitable punishment.