Police may appeal case

Police are taking legal advice over whether to appeal against a judge's decision to grant a discharge without conviction to a sportswoman on drink-driving charges and suppress her name.

In the Gisborne District Court last week, Judge Graham Hubble discharged the woman without conviction and granted her permanent name suppression after she appeared on a charge of driving while almost twice the legal alcohol limit.

Police said yesterday they were seeking advice from Crown Law on whether an appeal would be lodged. They said the woman was not well known nationally and did not play a mainstream sport.

She was caught driving with a breath-alcohol level of 801 micrograms per litre of breath - double the limit of 400mcg. Her lawyer told the court a conviction could affect her ability to compete overseas.

-APN News & Media