Court / Drink drivers banned from the roads

TWO drink drivers were fined and disqualified when their cases called at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Nils Smith, of Stakkafletts, Fetlar was more than five times the legal limit when he collided with a fence on the A968 road near the Gunnister junction in Unst at around 7pm on Friday 18 August.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that other road users who came to help the 62-year-old described him as “absolutely blootered” and hardly able to speak.

Due to the location of the incident, it took more than two hours for police to arrive and a further two hours before Smith had been taken to Lerwick and a blood sample could be taken.

Smith pleaded guilty to driving while having 112 microgrammes of alcohol on 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 22mg.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client was dependent on his license as he was living in Fetlar but working on the neighbouring island of Unst.

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He had been at a work colleague’s leaving do and accepts that he had too much to drink, the solicitor added.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined Smith £1,200 and disqualified him from driving for 20 months. He can reduce the period of disqualification by a quarter should he successfully complete the drink drivers’ rehabilitation course.

MEANWHILE, a Polish wind farm worker was banned and fined after crashing his car on Lerwick’s Commercial Road in the early hours of Saturday 19 August.

Daniel Chudecki had just driven past three people outside a pub when they heard a loud bang.

They went over to see if they could help and realised that the 31-year-old had fallen asleep, Lerwick Sheriff Court heard.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Chudecki was so drunk that he had to be held up to help him standing.

Chudecki, of Upper Baila, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to driving with 108 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – almost five times the legal limit.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client was struggling with being away from his family and also felt he was in the wrong job.

He said Chudecki was “extremely remorseful” about the incident and was now planning to return to Poland.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fine Chudecki £800 and banned him from driving for a year.