When Ordhan Redmond was pulled over by police on September 20, he gave a blood sample after being unable to complete a breath test.
The result came back at 245mg — nearly five times the legal limit and equivalent to a breath-alcohol reading of 1225mcg.
At Redmond’s sentencing in Queenstown District Court last week, community magistrate Sarah Steele said she found his track record "quite concerning" for his age.
Ms Steele asked the young man’s lawyer, DeAnne Nicoloso, if he had a problem with alcohol the court could help him deal with.
Ms Nicoloso said the defendant had been the victim of a serious assault last June, in which his jaw had been broken in two places.
The incident had affected his mental health, and he had been worried about giving evidence in court, prompting him to turn to alcohol.
However, the pressure had been relieved when his assailant admitted his offending, making a trial unnecessary.
In the four months since the drink-driving incident, he had put his energy into sport and recreation, and was feeling much better, Ms Nicoloso said.
Ms Steele said Redmond had no previous convictions, but had incurred demerit points from twice exceeding the legal alcohol limit.
Although she accepted his belief he did not need any help for alcohol issues, she urged him to be "very mindful" of his attitude to alcohol and driving — his blood-alcohol level was of a magnitude that made an alcohol interlock sentence mandatory.
After a 28-day stand-down, he can apply for an alcohol interlock licence, then arrange for the device to be installed in his vehicle.
"If you don’t do those things, you will remain indefinitely disqualified."
He was also fined $825, and ordered to pay $321.34 for medical expenses and analyst fees.
