An intoxicated Bay man caught drink-driving told police he was on his way to check why there was such a large police presence in the area.
Tahakura Kohu, 31, who appeared in the Tauranga District Court yesterday by audio-visual link, admitted three charges.
They were one charge of driving while disqualified, one of driving with an excess breath alcohol (both third or subsequent offences), and one of failing to answer District Court bail.
When Kohu was stopped on Fraser St on July 5 he told the police officer he was on his way to check why there was such a large police presence in the area.
He was driving with an excess breath alcohol of 729 micrograms - almost three times the adult legal limit of 250mcg.
Judge Edwin Paul told Kohu he was left "speechless" by his reason for driving that night.
"I have got to say Mr Kohu I have heard lots of explanations for drink-driving but I've never heard this one before.
"Your explanation really reflects the fact that you were drunk.
"Any reasonable person who sees a large police presence would have stayed indoors but you failed to do so and that's why you are sitting [in the dock]."
Judge Paul said a sentence of home detention was out of the question, particularly given Kohu's past convictions, and there was no suitable address to serve such a sentence.
Kohu was sentenced to nine months' prison, with six months' prison release conditions, and disqualified from driving for another year and a day. He will have to apply to resit his driving licence after his finite period of disqualification ends.
A letter will be sent to the vehicle's owner warning it will be permanently confiscated if Kohu is caught driving it again.
-Bay of Plenty Times