Not to drink and drive does not seem to have been a New Year’s resolution for five men who appeared in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
For three of the five, who were a mixture of residents and visitors to the resort, it was not their first conviction for drink-driving.
As she has done several times before, Judge Bernadette Farnan expressed frustration at the continual procession of drink-drivers appearing before her in the resort.
Referring to a two-year "name and shame" campaign run by Otago Daily Times’ sister newspaper Mountain Scene until last year, Judge Farnan suggested it was time for a reprise.
"I think the ODT needs to do some more campaigning - the message clearly isn’t getting through."
In the past few years, more than 200 people a year have been convicted in the Queenstown District Court on drink-driving charges.
Those convicted. -
- Blair Grieve (36), contractor, of Frankton, drink-driving (second conviction), 93mg, Douglas St, November 29, fined $700, court costs $130, medical expenses $156.99, disqualified seven months.
- Garth Ken Henderson (35), roofer, of Leithfield, drink-driving, 760mcg, Stanley St, December 8, 120 hours’ community work, disqualified eight months.
- Steve Lee (29), United Kingdom national living in Frankton, drink-driving, 723mcg, Frankton Rd, December 20, fined $900, court costs $130, disqualified seven months.
- Timothy Paul Nolan (34), New Zealand national living in Australia, mine worker, drink-driving (third or subsequent conviction), 692mcg, Lauder-Omakau Rd, December 29, fined $1000, court costs $130, disqualified 13 months.
- Gareth Benjamin Watt (39), of Clyde, drink-driving, 569mcg (third or subsequent conviction), Wanaka-Luggate Highway, January 1, disqualified 12 months, 120 hours’ community work.
