A man who was caught drink-driving for the fifth time accused the police of racism, a court heard.
Abele Natubecula Vakatawa, 46, appeared in the Invercargill District Court this week after pleading guilty to one charge of aggravated drink-driving, one of aggravated suspended driving and one of driving contrary to a zero-alcohol licence.
Judge Duncan Harvey sentenced him to six months’ home detention.
Vakatawa was pulled over and immediately confessed to police: "I’ve broken the law".
He provided the officer with his zero-alcohol licence and admitted he had been drinking.
The court heard when the defendant was required to go to the station for an evidential breath test, he became belligerent.
He was yelling and making accusations that the police had pulled him over because of his race.
He said he was going to pray that something bad would happen to the officers for ruining his night.
At the police station he tried to slow down the testing process by requesting to see photos of the duty lawyers before choosing one, the court heard.
The test revealed a breath alcohol level of 912mcg — almost four times the legal limit.
Vakatawa said he was being a "Good Samaritan" by driving his friends into town.
Counsel Katarina Coote said the defendant had been relying on alcohol to cope with grief after losing a family member.
Judge Harvey noted that it was the man's fifth conviction for drink-driving and driving while suspended.
"It was more than a lapse of judgement," he said.
"There's nothing racist about being stopped because of your driving."
The judge disqualified Vakatawa from driving for 28 days with alcohol-interlock provisions following.
