The number of drink driving cases coming through the Ashburton District Court was enough to cause Judge Campbell Savage concern on Monday.

"This is the seventh excess breath alcohol and it isn't even 11 o'clock," the judge said as Dominic Jordan Tumai stood in the dock.

The 29-year-old faced a charge of refusing a breath test on May 13 last year after having two earlier drink driving charges.

Lawyer Cory Shaw said Tumai wanted to vacate his earlier pleas of not guilty and plead guilty.

Tumai will appear again on July 1.

Earlier that morning, Kelly Gregory Brown, 42, admitted a charge of driving with excess blood alcohol on Tancred Street on March 23, after a charge of resisting a police officer was withdrawn.

Lawyer Tiffany McRae said Brown accepted he had been drinking too much and had taken steps to ensure he would not be back before the court.

She said he had two previous drink driving convictions from 13 and 14 years back.

Brown was convicted, fined $800, and given an interlock sentence and six months' supervision to provide Brown with some "wrap-around support". He was also ordered to pay $365.34 in reparation for the blood analysis fee.

“Don’t drown your problems in alcohol if you’re going to go driving," the judge told Brown.

Drink driving admitted

Fairton man Alex Noel Baker, 27, admitted drink driving on Rakaia Highway on March 19.

He blew 483 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath in a breath test after he'd been drinking at a pub.

McRae said Baker had a previous conviction just under five years ago and an interlock sentence would be a "significant problem for his employment".

Baker will appear for sentencing on June 17.

Graeme Nicholas Butler, 55, did not plan to drive after attending a work BBQ on March 8 but got behind the wheel to visit his mother in palliative care after getting a call from a family member.

He was stopped by police on Racecourse Road and blew 483mcg Racecourse Road

Butler will appear for sentencing on July 1.

Fell asleep at the wheel

A Mitcham man fell asleep at the wheel in the middle of the road after a big night out.

Brody Alan Hanger Quinn, 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving on March 17.

The police found him asleep at the wheel with his car stopped in the middle of Cross Street. He blew 955mcg.

Duty lawyer Claire Yardley said Quinn did have occasional "big nights out" and had self-referred to the Ashburton Community Alcohol and Drugs Service.

Judge Campbell said Quinn admitted not remembering driving.

"This is a horrific mistake. Your father could be at your funeral rather than in court", the judge said.

Quinn was given an interlock sentence and fined $900 plus court costs of $130.

First drink driving offence

A Tinwald man admitted his first drink driving offence after he was stopped at a routine police stop on Archibald Street on March 8.

George Ivan Sparks, 27, had a blood alcohol reading of 83mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Lawyer Tiffany McRae said Sparks had no previous convictions and fairly limited demerit history.

Sparks will appear again on May 20 for a sentencing and a limited licence application.

Six-month disqualification

David Lee Archer, 43, admitted a charge of drink driving on Pudding Hill Road on January 20.

Lawyer Paul Bradford said Archer disputed the note that he was going to Methven to go drinking.

He had just moved to the area and had no food in the house and was going to get food.

Bradford said Archer accepted what he did was foolish and that he should not have been on that bike with a blood reading of 140mg.

He had one previous drink driving conviction from 13 years ago, Bradford said.

Archer was disqualified from driving for six months, fined $750 plus court costs, and ordered to pay $365.34 for the blood analysis costs.

Convictions withheld

Vishavjeet Singh Sidhu, 30, admitted charges of refusing to give a blood sample and not giving the police his address.

Lawyer Paul Bradford asked Judge Savage to withhold any convictions to allow him to make legal applications.

He said a conviction could have implications for Sidhu's immigration status.

Sidhu will appear again on July 1.

Five charges

A Hampstead man has to pay $2500 and is disqualified from driving for a year after appearing on five charges.

PJ Puapii Junior Ernie Sas William, 21, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and a pipe for the use of cannabis, and failing to assist police on November 5, 2022. He also admitted driving while disqualified on January 25, 2023, as well as careless driving and driving with more than two qualifying drugs on August 20 last year.

Judge Savage disqualified William from driving for 12 months and sentenced him to 100 hours ‘community work. Williams was also ordered to pay $1000 toward the blood analysis costs and $1500 reparation for the fence he damaged.

Supervision sentence

Rosemary May Tecofsky, 35, pleaded guilty to a charge of being in a building on Rakaia Highway without reasonable excuse on November 29 last year.

Her plea was entered after the police withdrew charges of family violence and impeding breathing.

Tecofsky was given a sentence of six months' supervision.

Name suppression denied

Judge Savage found there were no grounds for interim name suppression for Rokeni Richard Broomhall.

The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges of family violence and one charge of speaking threateningly dating back to December 27 last year.

The pleas were made after the police amended the charges.

Lawyer Gretchen Hart asked the judge to give Broomhall name suppression to protect the identity of his victim.

However, the judge said if there was a need for name suppression he would have expected it to have been requested earlier.

The judge made a referral to restorative justice.

Broomhall will appear again on July 15.

$2500 reparation

Shannon James McDonald, 28, was convicted and discharged on a charge of careless driving on West Street on August 12 last year.

Judge Savage made a reparation order for $2500.

Plea changed

Rueben McGregor Sivaivai, 30, changed an earlier not guilty plea to guilty.

He was charged with assault and wounding a man after a tradies event on November 30 last year.

Lawyer Cory Sahw requested a referral to restorative justice.

McGregor Sivaivai will appear again on July 15.

Guilty plea

Yunosh James King, 38, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft under $500 in Auckland on August 25 last year after the police withdrew a charge of driving without a licence.

Judge Savage convicted King and ordered him to pay reparation of $219.18.

Warrant

Michelle Marie Bennet, 40, failed to appear on a charge of another person else to grow cannabis at her premises. Judge Savage ordered a warrant for her arrest, with the warrant to lie in court for seven days to allow her to make a voluntary appearance.