Two people who appeared in the Criminal Court on Thursday last week for drink driving related offences have raked up expensive reparation fines for driving into power poles.

One of the defendant’s Alexander Kermode pleaded guilty through his lawyer Mark Short to excess blood alcohol and careless driving.

The court heard on May 4 at around 11.40pm Kermode crashed into a power pole in Vaimaanga which caused extensive damage. A blood test revealed Kermode was five times over the legal limit.

Including fines and reparation costs, Justice of the Peace John Whitta ordered the defendant to pay $7198.82.

Kermode was fined $500 for excess blood alcohol, $50 for careless driving, $150 reparation for the blood test, $6398.82 for the power pole and $100 court costs.

Short said his client also crashed the car they bought for his son prior to the incident.

“This family has endured a bit of bad luck but he is genuinely remorseful for what he did,” he said.

Short said his client celebrated his 50^th birthday and fell asleep at the wheel.

Teremoana Ioakimo also had expensive reparation costs which is being challenged by defence lawyer Norman George.

Ioakimo pleaded guilty to careless driving and excess blood alcohol through George and will be sentenced on September 6.

Ioakimo is being asked to pay a total of $7048.57 in reparation costs – $1491.06 is for damage to a rental car, $4697.97 is for damage to a power pole, $709.75 is for removal of the car and $150 is reparation costs for the blood alcohol test.

George said he was concerned the cost of damage for the rental car did not have an independent value.

George also questioned the power poll price tag and said it was already old when it was crashed into.

“Why should someone buy a new one when it’s ready to fall to pieces?

“I’m concerned about these quotes, unverified quotes.

“It's frightening your worship.”

George said he would oppose the current reparations.