A judge has told a Gore engineer he was the "gold medal" winner for having the highest breath-alcohol level of the day.
Judge Kevin Phillips also questioned the "mental faculties" of Jacob William Pannett-Miller, 24, when sentencing him in the Gore District Court yesterday.
Pannett-Miller was drinking at the Howl at the Moon bar in the Southland town on October 21 when police spoke to him during a routine check at the bar about 10.30pm.
However, as they were leaving, they saw him driving away in his ute.
After they stopped him about 800m away in Latham Lane, a breath-alcohol test gave a reading of 1013mcg, more than four times the legal limit.
Judge Phillips said the "flagrant" offending was difficult to understand given the defendant had a good job and a previously clean record.
He asked Pannett-Miller’s lawyer, John Fraser, if he should have the defendant assessed under a Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act order.
"Is there something wrong with his mental faculties?"
Referring to the six other drink-drivers up for sentencing, including others with high breath-alcohol levels, he told Pannett-Miller he had "headed them all off".
"A gold medal you get for that."
His actions were a "total rejection of the law", which aggravated the offending, he said.
"Take a look in the mirror — you’ve got all this on your shoulders because of absolute stupidity."
Pannett-Miller was convicted, ordered to pay a fine of $1100, court costs of $130, and disqualified from driving for eight months.
