A Wanaka bar manager who admitted drink-driving with a breath-alcohol level well over the limit failed in her attempt to be discharged without conviction.
Katie Marie Wroblewski (27) had earlier admitted driving with a breath-alcohol level of 1001mcg at Manuka Cres, Wanaka, on November 9, 2018.
On Monday, Judge John Brandts-Giesen said Wroblewski had been at pre-arranged drinks, was tired and lacked food.
She used a friend's car to drive early in the morning to buy groceries.
''The police say that, while not mentioned in your summary of facts, the reason for your being stopped was erratic driving.''
The judge said Wroblewski knew what ''alcohol does to people'' because she held a manager's licence.
She was, however, co-operative with police, a first offender, had entered an early guilty plea and had ''done good works to show you're a good person and a person of good character''.
She was also remorseful, but Judge Brandts-Giesen said remorse was ''universal ... in cases such as this''.
He heard if convicted she may lose her manager's licence and, as a result, her employment.
However, she had ''other strings to your bow to work''.
While Wroblewski was not a permanent resident, a conviction would be a ''hurdle to overcome, but not an impenetrable bar''.
There was also a ''social stigma'' attached to offending but that was the ''inevitable price of offending''.
Judge Brandts-Giesen ultimately found the consequences of a conviction were not out of all proportion with the gravity of the offence and told Wroblewski it was ''something that you will have to deal with''.
''I'm not satisfied I can treat you differently in this case than the many others who appear before this court.''
She was convicted, disqualified for 13 months, fined $800 and ordered to pay $130 court costs.
