Drink-drive ban for Star Trek star Chris Pine

Chris Pine arrives at Ashburton District Court yesterday. Picture: Getty

The 33-year-old American was charged after leaving a party in the small South Island town of Methven, 55 miles south-west of Christchurch, at 3am on 1 March.

The actor, best known for playing Captain James Kirk in the Star Trek films, was celebrating the end of filming forthcoming film Z for Zachariah.

He was stopped during a routine check and reportedly told officers he had consumed four vodka-based drinks.

He had the equivalent of 113 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, against a legal limit of 80 milligrams.

Pine stood silently during his hearing at Ashburton District Court yesterday, allowing his lawyer, Marilyn Gilchrist, to enter the plea.

She said her client had suffered emotionally and professionally, and the negative publicity had put his acting contracts in jeopardy. Ms Gilchrist had asked for him to be discharged without conviction, because a conviction would hurt his career. She also claimed imposing a driving ban would be out of proportion to the offence.

But judge Joanna Maze said Pine would be treated like any other offender and banned him from driving for six months, fined him NZ$400 (£200) and ordered him to pay NZ$93 in costs.

However, she said she accepted that Pine was remorseful and had made a large donation to a New Zealand charity, CureKids, which helps research children’s life-threatening illnesses.

After the hearing, Pine signed autographs for fans who had been waiting outside the court and was then driven away.

Before being pulled over by police, Pine had been at the Blue Pub with his Icelandic girlfriend, Iris Bjork Johannesdottir, a model.

A bar spokesman said: “The pub was closed to the public later in the evening and approximately 80 actors and crew attended the party, which finished at 3am on 1 March.

“The cast and crew were friendly and it was a great night, not a wild party.”