A Polish learner driver who alarmed other motorists by practising her road skills while she was over the alcohol limit was fined yesterday.
Beata Dobrowolski, who now lives in Elgin, embarked on a practice session with her husband as a passenger on the A96 at 11pm on Sunday, May 24.
However, the 28-year-old’s “erratic” driving between Elgin and Alves sparked concerns among other road users, who alerted the police.
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAlister said: “Drivers were concerned that the car was being driven in an erratic manner, swerving about the carriageway between 20mph and 30mph, despite there being a 60mph limit in place.”
Dobrowolski, of 47 Murriston Road, admitted to having consumed beer and a glass of wine earlier in the day and when police tested her she was found to have 32 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Until December the legal limit was 35 micrograms.
She also admitted driving without insurance or a licence.
Representing Dobrowolski, solicitor David Adams: “It is no consolation to my client, nor will it be any consolation to the court, to note that around seven months ago she would not have faced any charges for driving with that amount of alcohol in her system.”
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison said the offence was “modest” and as such he had decided to impose only a “modest penalty” of £200.
Dobrowolski, who has no previous convictions, was also disqualified from the road for a year.
