Tauranga doctor Lisa Catherine Edwards is due back in court in April for sentencing after being found guilty of drink driving.
Edwards was a trainee surgeon at Tauranga Hospital when she failed a police breath test on Totara Street in Mount Maunganui on July 30 last year.
She fought the charge at a defended hearing earlier this year, challenging the validity of the evidential breath screening test result.
When police breath tested the 40 year old, she blew a breath alcohol level of 876 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit for an adult is 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.
After assessing the evidence at the defended hearing, a Judge found Edwards guilty of driving with an excess breath alcohol level.
She is no longer working at Tauranga Hospital and was a trainee surgeon between December 2009 and December 2010.
8 comments
Everybody loses
Posted on 30-03-2011 13:07 | By morepork
This is really sad. I hope she is able to resume her career. While there is no excuse for drink driving, it is a pity to see a promising career ruined from a single lapse. There are countries in the world where 800 is the limit but that's not the point. This shows a lapse of judgement and it might have been better if she had simply accepted the charge, rather than defend it on a technicality. She had been drinking and she drove a car. Wrong. Stupid and dangerous. But I suspect she knows that and would give the world to have the actions of that night undone. All of us are capable of lapses of judgement and most of us learn from them. If this lady's career is destroyed because of this, we all lose.
Now if she was a lawyer . . .
Posted on 30-03-2011 13:50 | By JSmithington
You and I, and this doctor would have their names published after a drink driving offence. But in Auckland I read of an up and coming lawyer whose name is currently suppressed, and some sort of ability to have her case heard by some sort of chief judge. Whilst not condoning drink driving in any way, the even greater threat comes from the huge number of repeat offenders who ignore disqualification and continue to drive.
Trying to get off on a technicality
Posted on 30-03-2011 15:36 | By wreck1080
She should be ashamed of herself for trying to get off on a technicality. She was over the limit, and she knows this but still tries to escape proper punishment. Although, she should not have lost her job over a single incident (if this is why she is no longer employed).
Over twice the legal limit
Posted on 30-03-2011 17:47 | By monty111
How can you plead not guilty when you are over twice the legal limit? Lets hope she pays the court and prosecution costs as well! I would like to know which country in the world has a legal limit of 800! I doubt very much that one exists.
To Everybody Loses
Posted on 30-03-2011 21:18 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
When your partner has been killed by a drunken driver then maybe youll understand....when you scrap the charred remains from the burnt out shell of your loved ones car then maybe youll understand...when everytime you smell burnt steak you remember his burnt corpse then maybe youll understand. Thankyou to the wise judge for saving the lives of innocent people . May you continue to be strong in your rulings. To "Everybody Loses" it is stupid to think that this was the only time this woman drank and drove but hopefully it will now be her last. This is not sad , it is fantastic. Sad is when two parents lose their only child due to a drunken driver...sad is when an innocent person is taken from this world in his 20s.....Tonight I salute the judge and I celebrate with a glass of juice.
UK visitor
Posted on 31-03-2011 01:24 | By ChrisTurnbull
And if she'd been 'drunk in charge of a scalpel' would we be so sympathetic? I think not. It's right that she should be prosecuted - drink driving is a serious offence and so dangerous. Ask anyone who has lost someone through drink driving if they think a first offender should be treated leniently.
Sick of differerent rules for special people
Posted on 31-03-2011 09:34 | By EYESPY
What is being angled for here by the defendant is a discharge without conviction even though she put the prosecution through the hoops.She did not plead guilty to the charge .I very much doubt it will ruin her career.The position is the same for the unnamed Auckland lawyer. The public should just think about whether this is fair since if the ruse is successful they will not have a conviction be disqualified or even pay a fine .Where is the penalty.
This justice system...
Posted on 31-03-2011 15:24 | By SpeakUp
...is CORRUPT to the core. There is no justice, the law is a donkey, the legal fraternity a bog of crafty, shifty parasites.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.