A Queenstown man caught drink-driving twice in three days had "utterly, utterly appalling" breath-alcohol levels, a judge says.
However, Scott Fraser Rawson, a British national who already had a drink-driving conviction under his belt, has avoided prison after getting rehab in his home country.
The 39-year-old carpenter was living in Queenstown on a work visa when matters came to a head last September.
The police had been wanting to speak to speak to him about an unrelated matter when an officer spotted him driving near Lake Hayes about 4.30pm on September 8.
Approaching Rawson after he had stopped his car, the officer carried out a breath test after smelling booze "emanating" from the defendant, the police summary said.
Recording a breath alcohol level of 1492mcg — nearly six times the legal limit — he told the officer he had drunk three bottles of wine during a "big night" the day before, then drank two glasses more after waking up that morning.
Arrested and his licence suspended for 28 days, Rawson was seen in his car two days later, asleep behind the wheel parked outside Night’n Day in Shotover Country’s Eleventh Ave.
After an officer woke him up, the defendant admitted he had been drinking wine, and had driven to the store to buy more. This time he recorded 1716mcg — nearly seven times the legal limit.
When he appeared in court last September, Rawson was given permission to return to the UK for six months, where he could get rehab for free.
Speaking at Rawson’s sentencing in the Queenstown District Court this week, counsel Bryony Shackell said the offending had been "alarming", but the defendant’s response to the charges had been exceptional.
Judge Catriona Doyle told Rawson he had "restored my faith in humans" by returning to Queenstown when other defendants might not have.
She convicted him and imposed 250 hours’ community work.
