At 3.30am on July 2, Che Vai Thomas-Kavanaugh (30) was driving home after a work function when he lost control of his car and crashed into a property, coming to a stop in a stranger’s bedroom.
Thomas-Kavanaugh admitted to police he had been drinking and he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, in what counsel Steve Turner called "going over and above" taking responsibility for his crime.
A test revealed a blood alcohol level of 145mg, nearly three times the legal limit and the man was reportedly very co-operative with police, the Dunedin District Court heard last week.
The total damage done to the Bay View Rd property was about $20,000 and Thomas-Kavanaugh, being the owner of a small business, was not in a position to pay reparation to the victims.
The barber shop owner had been trying his best to give back to the community, offering free haircuts to occupants of the night shelter and visiting the victims of the crash several times to ensure they were all right.
"This is certainly not something most offenders do," community magistrate Sally O’Brien said.
Although the victims were "still dealing with the trauma of a car coming through their bedroom wall", they were not angry with Thomas-Kavanaugh, who had taken the time to build a relationship with the complainants, the court heard.
"They hope that all of you continue to have a relationship," Ms O’Brien said.
"You are working in your barber shop, which seems to be going well with you, and importantly the victims themselves are not left out of pocket, thanks to their insurance."
Because of the crash, Thomas-Kavanaugh had written off his own vehicle, which "cost tens of thousands of dollars", Mr Turner said.
Thomas-Kavanaugh was sentenced to six months’ supervision, 60 hours’ community work and seven months’ disqualification.
