A woman crashed her car after drinking whisky to steady her nerves when she received a “very nasty” text from her former partner’s ex
Alicja Fras, or Kolenda, crashed her vehicle on Granitehill Road, Aberdeen, after she headed out to buy cigarettes while more than four times the alcohol limit.
The 40-year-old has now been fined and banned from the road over the matter.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Kolenda’s vehicle was caught on CCTV “coming onto Granitehill Road, crossing into the opposing carriageway and colliding with a wall”.
Police later traced the car in her driveway and noted it was damaged and found Kolenda in a “distressed state”.
Officers noticed a “smell of alcohol” coming from her and she provided a positive breath test.
Kolenda pled guilty to driving with 89 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
The incident happened on April 10.
Defence solicitor Gail Goodfellow said her client had, until recently, been a bus driver and had been on furlough, but had had to give up her job due to childcare issues.
Ms Goodfellow said: “She understands there is no excuse for this offence, but there is certainly an explanation as to why she behaved irresponsibly which is not something she would ordinarily do.
“She was clearly going through a very difficult time in her personal life having separated from her partner.”
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Ms Goodfellow explained to the court the difficult personal circumstances her client had found herself in, adding: “She found it very difficult to cope on her own.
“The evening before, she received a vert nasty text from her former partner’s ex girlfriend.
“She was extremely upset. She took some whisky the night before to try and still her nerves.”
Ms Goodfellow said when Kolenda got up the next day she still felt upset and took more alcohol before getting into an argument with a family member.
The solicitor said: “She, very much regrettably, decided to drive to the local shop to buy cigarettes. She was involved in an accident.
“Fortunately no-one was injured.”
She added the offence was an “isolated incident”.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Kolenda, whose address was given in court papers as Strachan Place, Aberdeen: “I accept this was out of character and an isolated incident.
“Nevertheless you’ll accept you were a danger to yourself and others on the road.”
She banned her from driving for a year and fined her £320.
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