A trip to Burger King has cost a Hampstead man much more than the meal he planned to buy.

David Kaisa, 32, appeared before Community Magistrate Sarah Steele in the Ashburton District Court on Wednesday on two charges of driving while disqualified and a charge of stealing fuel from Mobil in Ashburton.

Kaisa was stopped by police on January 9 on East Street and charged with driving while disqualified and driving off without paying for fuel.

On January 27, he was stopped again by police for driving while disqualified. He told police he was on his way to Burger King.

Lawyer Gretchen Hart said Kaisa had paid for $20 worth of fuel but had put more fuel in the tank. He had since been back to Mobil to offer an apology and pay the difference, she said.

Hart initially asked for an adjournment to allow Kaisa to make arrangements to sell his car to his flatmate so he would still be able to get to work.

But police prosecutor Sergeant Stuart Whyte said Kaisa could not sell the vehicle as it was liable for confiscation.

Magistrate Steele disqualified Kaisa for seven months, fined him $900 plus $130 in court costs, and ordered the confiscation of his vehicle.

Pokie win ends badly

A win on the pokie machines did not end well for an Allenton man.

Teina Jean Tekoronga, 44, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving at his first court appearance.

Lawyer Paul Norcross said Tekoronga was out with his wife and had a win on the pokie machines.

"The excitement got too much for him."

Norcross said Tekoronga acknowledged he should have asked his wife to drive.

He blew 532 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath when stopped by police on McMurdo Street on December 16.

Tekoronga was disqualified from driving for six months, fined $530 and ordered to pay court costs of $130.

"Heavy foot" leads to a driving conviction

A man who drew the attention of police by speeding has ended up with a driving conviction.

Police stopped Matthew Byron Ellis, 19, on the Rakaia Highway for speeding on March 8 and found he was driving while suspended.

Steele said Ellis had a "heavy foot". He had been suspended for demerit points for speeding.

Ellis was disqualified for a further six months from May 19 and fined $450 plus court costs of $130.

Second drink driving conviction

A trip to buy something to eat ended in a drink driving conviction for a Netherby woman.

Coral-Lee Bishop, 47, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving. She blew 533mcg in a breath test on East Street on February 29.

Duty lawyer Paul Norcross said Bishop was living in emergency accommodation at the time and decided to head out to get something to eat and did not realise she was over the limit.

Bishop had one prior drink driving conviction about 18 months ago.

Norcross said the offence triggered an interlock sentence, but Bishop did not have a vehicle.

Steele said it was worrying that this was Bishop's second drink-driving conviction in a short period of time.

Bishop was disqualified from driving for seven months, fined $700 plus court costs, and would have to apply for a zero alcohol licence once her disqualification ended.

Interlock sentence

A man who drove into a fence after drinking to dull the stress of his immigration issues was given an interlock sentence.

Stephen Jacobus Rohlandt, 34, blew 991mcg after he drove into a fence on Bridge Street on February 25.

Duty lawyer Gretchen Hart said Rohlandt had come to New Zealand on a three-year working visa and had been struggling with barriers in getting family over - to the point he was struggling with his mental health and had given notice at work and was likely to return home to his family.

He was given an interlock sentence, fined $600 and ordered to pay court costs.

Disqualified and fined

An Allenton man was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $670 for drink driving.

Brent Ronald Kircher, 63, blew 669mcg when stopped by police on Havelock Street on March 14.

Car confiscated

An Allenton man will have his car confiscated after a poor passing move on State Highway One.

Malcolm Joseph Fredrick Stuart Wichman, 50, admitted a charge of dangerous driving near Fairton on February 21.

He was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $450 plus $130 in court costs.

Steele ordered the confiscation of Wichman's vehicle on April 15 to allow him time to retrieve his car from the pound and have the interlock device removed before returning the car to the impound yard.

Remanded without plea

Tory Abraham Hammon, 33, was remanded without plea on a charge of assault on March 24. he will appear again on April 8.

Charge admitted

Bui Vuminhthong, 29, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving.

He blew 481mcg after he was stopped by police on Leeston Street on February 3.

Lawyer Grant Fletcher asked for the case to be remanded to allow for an application for a discharge without conviction.

Vuminhthong will appear again on July 24.

Community work, disqualification for driving charges

Eilish Brook,  appeared for sentencing on charges of drink driving and careless driving in Takaka on October 5 last year.

Duty lawyer Gretchen Hart said Brook had gone to a bar to discuss an employment contract and had expected her partner to drive home. But when they left to go home, she realised that her partner had consumed a lot of alcohol and decided to drive home to Collingwood to her two children.

Brook crashed on the way home and blew 499mcg in a breath test. Her partner suffered fractures to both legs and was airlifted to hospital. Brook told the police she had been distracted as a result of arguing with her partner.

Hart said her partner had made a full recovery.

Steele said there had been "fairly horrific consequences" for a bad decision to drive.

Brook was disqualified from driving for seven months, sentenced to 40 hours' community work and ordered to pay $130 in court costs.

$950 fine

Kaliova Nadumu,  was fined $950 and disqualified from driving for eight months on his first drink driving charge.

He blew 968mcg when stopped by police on Chalmers Avenue on November 26 last year.

Suspended sentence

Marvin Simon Brown,  was given a suspended sentence on a charge of driving while forbidden on Moore Street on January 2.

Lawyer Paul Bradford said Brown had driven to get some Panadol for his partner and newborn and had since had his licence reinstated.

Brown was given a suspended sentence.

"If we see you again within six months, you can be sentenced on this charge," the magistrate warned.

Careless driving

Seth George Arnold Corbett, 19, appeared briefly on a charge of careless driving causing injury on December 10, 2023, on the Arundel Rakaia Gorge Road.

He was remanded to allow time to get legal advice and will appear again on May 21.

Warrants issued

The magistrate issued four arrest warrants for people who failed to appear in court.

Trinity-Lee Gray,22, failed to appear on a charge of driving at a dangerous speed on Alford Forest Road on March 17.

Brooke-Lyn Carla Heke, failed to appear on a charge of drink driving.

Nakeisha Bianca Henare, 31, was not in court on charges of driving while disqualified and stealing items worth $480 from KMart.

Thomas Ricky Russell,  failed to appear for careless driving and driving while disqualified.

By Sharon Davis