A Welshman on a working holiday visa has cut his stay short after crashing his car into a power pole while drink-driving.
Gwion Enwyl Emberton, 19, was before the Gore District Court this week on one charge of drink-driving last November.
The court heard he was on a working holiday visa, working as a contractor in Heriot and had a full UK driver’s licence.
He said after a long night of drinking at a Tapanui bar on November 23, he missed the last shuttle home and decided to get behind the wheel.
About 2.42am he was driving on Ardmore Rd just outside of Heriot when he lost control of his car and crashed into a power pole before coming to a halt in a nearby paddock.
He remained at the scene and called his supervisor.
When police arrived, he blew a breath-test of 494mcg.
Counsel Tanya McCullum said her client had arrived from Wales in December and, although he did not have to do so, had decided to return home because of the accident.
Emberton had already contacted the power company to organise payment for the damaged pole, Ms McCullum said.
"He’s just made a bad decision and ... because of that he’s chosen for his working holiday to end."
Judge Russell Walker told the defendant despite a bad lapse of judgement the man was lucky there were not more serious consequences.
Emberton was fined $500 plus court costs and disqualified from driving for six months.
