A man who crashed into the back of someone’s vehicle near Palace Takeaways has paid more than $7000 to the vehicle owner in reparations.

Ioane Inatou appeared before Justice of the Peace Tangi Taoro at the Criminal Court in Avarua on Thursday.

He pleaded guilty to driving with excess blood alcohol and careless driving.

According to the summary of facts, read out in court, on September 4, Inatou was driving his car through town when he veered off the road and crashed into a vehicle parked near Palace Takeaways.

He was apprehended by police, who took him for a blood test, which recorded a reading of 260mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, the limit is 50mg.

He told police he had drunk at least three bottles of Steinlager while attending a function at the Islander, before deciding to drive home.

In court, Inatou asked JP Taoro to be lenient as he “worked 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday”.

Taoro explained that in cases such as this, the law had a mandatory disqualification period of 12 months. He could, however, apply for a variation after six months.

In sentencing Inatou, JP Taoro noted that Inatou had agreed to pay the owner of the other vehicle $7049 in reparations. Inatou told the Court he had already done this.

JP Taoro also fined Inatou $100 for the careless driving and $360 for the high blood-alcohol reading, and $150 in reparations for the blood-alcohol test.

JP Taoro also disqualified Inatou from owning a driver’s licence for 12 months, as was the mandatory period.