A drink-driver whose vehicle crashed into a house has avoided conviction after completing a specialist driver programme.
Jonty Simi Waddell, 29, was discharged without conviction when he appeared in the Invercargill District Court last week on charges of drink-driving and careless driving.
Judge Catriona Doyle said The Right Track programme had a significant impact on Mr Waddell.
"Your speech at graduation was one of the most inspirational and moving things I’ve ever heard in my life," she said.
"You truly are the poster boy for that programme."
On August 21 last year, Mr Waddell was driving in Martin St when he lost control of his vehicle which mounted the kerb and crashed into a house.
Testing revealed a blood-alcohol level of 224mg, more than four times the legal limit.
"There was such a high risk that you could have injured other people," she said.
As a result of the crash, Mr Waddell’s vehicle was written off and he was knocked unconscious.
The court heard he spent four months in a Christchurch hospital and had long-lasting injuries.
Judge Doyle said the people inside the house would be "counting their lucky stars".
"[The Right Track programme] has touched you not only on a cognitive level, it’s also touched you much more deeply than that," she said.
Mr Waddell said he was "honoured" to have been invited to make presentations at future programmes.
The judge granted the man a discharge without conviction without application.
She said she did not want the defendant to be disadvantaged when applying for jobs, and his physical disability might also make that challenging.
"I hope you are able to use your experience now to make changes," she said.
She disqualified Mr Waddell from driving for six months and ordered him to pay blood-analysis costs.
felicity.dear@odt.co.nz , PIJF court reporter
