Wellington District chief fire officer Jonathan Graham has lost his licence for six months after being caught drunk driving.
Graham, 51, appeared in Wellington District Court today after he was stopped at a police checkpoint shortly before midnight on September 27.
His breath alcohol level was 574mcg - the legal limit is 400mcg.
Graham's lawyer asked Judge Oke Blaikie to spare his client the "greater than normal embarrassment" which a conviction would bring for a man in his position.
He sought to avoid his name being published in the Dominion Post newspaper's list of drink-driving convictions.
Judge Blaikie said he appreciated Graham's situation, the fact it "is a possible employment issue (and) the relatively modest level of alcohol" in his system.
However, it was not enough to spare him the fate of several others who appeared before Judge Blaikie today.
Graham was convicted, fined $400 plus court costs and disqualified from driving for six months.
