Mac Warahi Te Ngahue, 53, teaches te reo Māori, social studies and Te Ao Haka at Otago Girls’ High School and was described as a ‘‘role model’’ to his students in references.
But he has previously been hauled before the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal in 2019 after he drove drunk and crashed into a parked car.
The tribunal warned his registration would be reconsidered if he came before it again.
Yesterday, he appeared in the Dunedin District Court for sentencing on his fifth drink-driving conviction.
The court heard that on January 1, the defendant was stopped at a police checkpoint on Kaikorai Valley Rd.
Testing procedures revealed Te Ngahue had a breath alcohol level of 918mcg — nearly four times the legal limit.
Yesterday, counsel Rhona Daysh said her client was remorseful and highlighted his contributions to the community.
‘‘He is ... seen as very intelligent and highly regarded by his profession,’’ she said.
‘‘He is embarrassed and ashamed to be standing here.’’
Since the offending, Te Ngahue had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous and was addressing other health issues.
The Otago Girls’ High School principal wrote a letter of support for the teacher, which said he possessed ‘‘great mana’’.
The principal Bridget Davidson declined to provide comment to the Otago Daily Times about the matter, saying they do not comment on individual staff members due to privacy and legal employer responsibilities to employees.
Judge Nevin Dawson noted Te Ngahue’s high level and said he must have known he should not be driving.
‘‘None of us can go around playing Russian roulette with the lives and safety of other people, but that’s what you’ve done now for the fifth time,’’ the judge said.
He also weighed Te Ngahue’s ‘‘wonderful influence’’ on the children he taught and said he had let them and himself down.
The man’s career was now ‘‘at risk’’ and he would have to face the Teaching Council, the judge said.
As well as the drink-driving offences, he had eight other convictions, the court heard.
Judge Dawson sentenced Te Ngahue to four months’ community detention, 10 months’ supervision and disqualified him from driving for 28 days, after which the alcohol interlock provisions would apply.
‘‘[If] you never come back here, it’s good for you, it’s good for those kids you teach and it’s good for your family as well,’’ the judge said.
The teacher had already promised it would never happen again.
In 2019 Te Ngahue attended a Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal hearing after drink-driving with a breath-alcohol level of 709mcg and crashing into a stationary vehicle.
Te Ngahue represented himself at that hearing and assured the tribunal he ‘‘does not drink and drive at all’’.
‘‘He is aware of the importance of being a good role model to his students and he is continuing to do the mahi to win back the respect of them, their whānau and his colleagues,’’ the 2019 decision said.
The tribunal expressed ‘‘some doubt’’ about the man’s ability to refrain from further offending, given similar expressions of remorse after his last drink-driving offence.
Te Ngahue’s offence was deemed to be serious misconduct and he was censured, a formal note was annotated on the register for two years, and he had to disclose a copy of the tribunal decision to any employer for the two years following the decision.
‘‘Obviously, if he is referred to the tribunal again, his registration will be reconsidered,’’ the 2019 decision said.
