A man has been banned from the roads after getting behind the wheel nearly six times over the drink driving limit on a dual carriageway.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard motorists spotted Slawomir Sipika driving erratically on the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen Road near Portlethen shortly before 3pm.
The 60-year-old was seen “swerving across the carriageway” and “slumped over a steering wheel” at an approach to a roundabout.
Police subsequently attended Sipika’s home on the Hilltop Lodge in Portlethen and tested his breath for alcohol about 20 minutes later.
Officers noted that he “smelled strongly of alcohol and slurred his speech.”
He was breathalysed and found to have 119 micogrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22.
Yesterday in court Sipika pleaded guilty to driving under the influence on July 15 this year.
Fiscal depute Kelly Mitchell said: “Witnesses saw the accused swerving across the carriageway.
“The driver of another vehicle moved into the outer lane to overtake the accused and could see that he was slumped over in the steering wheel.”
However, defence lawyer Liam McAllister disputed the claim he was “slumped over”, arguing that the particular turn off meant his client had to come a stop and was leaning forward to check the view.
He also added: “He was surprised and concerned at how high the reading was.
“He was hosting a BBQ at his home for the wider Polish community and left and came back.
“He accepts that he would have gone a short distance under the influence and that he has made a catastrophic error.
“He said he told me that he had drank a glass of vodka and possibly two beers by the time police arrived to take a reading.”
Imposing a sentence, Sheriff Ian Wallace said: “It was a very high reading. I accept the circumstances and that this was a one off, but I am satisfied I can deal with the incident by way of disqualification and a fine.”
He fined him £1,500 and banned him from driving for two years.
