A supportive family and employer have helped prevent a Queenstown man going to prison after his fourth drink-driving conviction yesterday.
Caleb John Forbes-Brown's explanation for drink-driving and driving while disqualified on Man St on September 15 last year was he ``thought he was OK to drive''.
The 23-year-old apprentice scaffolder, who had a breath-alcohol reading of 752mcg, was indefinitely disqualified from driving at the time.
Appearing for sentencing in the Queenstown District Court yesterday, he was told by Judge Bernadette Farnan it was the sixth or seventh time she had heard the ``OK to drive'' explanation that day.
She also sentenced him on a charge of intentionally damaging a glass door in the resort on October 29, an offence committed while he was on bail for the driving offences.
Judge Farnan told him he was lucky to have a supportive mother and stepfather, and an employer who ``thought well'' of him.
On the drink-driving charge, he was convicted and sentenced to 12 months' intensive supervision, with conditions including a requirement he undertake a drug and alcohol assessment and any treatment or counselling as directed.
He will be on community detention for six months, and must observe a daily curfew between 7.30pm and 5.30am. He is also indefinitely disqualified from driving.
For driving while disqualified, he was convicted and sentenced to 80 hours' community work and disqualified from driving for nine months (concurrent).
For the intentional damage charge he was convicted and sentenced to 80 hours' community work (concurrent) and ordered to pay $392.50 reparation.
