An alcoholic who twice breached his prison release conditions did so in a novel and “extremely risky” way, a court has heard.
Jason Gary O’Malley (40) was released from the Otago Corrections Facility on May 4 after serving time for domestic violence.
Before tasting freedom, the defendant was inducted into his release conditions, the Dunedin District Court heard this week, which included a prohibition on consuming alcohol.
However, within days of being out, he was arrested while in possession of alcohol.
Despite being bailed for the breach, O’Malley could not maintain sobriety.
On July 6, police informed Corrections the defendant had been arrested again while under the influence.
Further investigation found O’Malley had been consuming alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
Counsel Pete Tuala said his client accepted he was an alcoholic and the only realistic outcome was another term of imprisonment.
O’Malley had numerous convictions for contravening orders of the court and had previously been convicted several times for misusing the 111 emergency number.
Judge Michael Crosbie said the consumption of the cleaning product demonstrated how severe the man’s addiction had become.
“[It is] an extremely risky thing to do,” he said.
O’Malley was jailed for four months.
