An Aberdeen drink-driver was spotted “slumped” in his car, “veering” across the road while more than five times the alcohol limit.
Police on patrol saw Marek Niecko driving on Great Northern Road in Aberdeen and veering from side to side on the street, and so pulled him over.
The 47-year-old failed a roadside breath test before telling officers he had had a couple of beers earlier in the day and was headed to Tesco to grab some food.
Fiscal depute Lynzi Souter told the court: “At 5.45pm officers on duty and on patrol saw the motor vehicle on Great Northern Road at its junction with Don Street.
“They saw the accused slumping into the driver’s seat and then driving at the locus.
“The vehicle appeared to be veering from side to side and as a result the emergency equipment was activated and the vehicle brought to a stop.”
Mrs Souter said police officers “noted the accused smelled strongly of alcohol”. She added: “He advised he had consumed two beers several hours prior and was out to get some food from a local shop.”
Niecko, whose address was given in court papers as Ferrier Crescent, Aberdeen, pled guilty to driving with 118 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
The incident happened on April 7.
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Defence solicitor Michael Horsman, who appeared representing Niecko, said his client had lost his job in March, and that his wife had lost her job shortly afterwards due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He added: “He was at a low point when this incident occurred.
“He had been drinking in the afternoon and stupidly set off or Tesco, around half a mile.”
Sheriff William Summers told Niecko: “You have pled guilty to drink-driving which you understand and will recognise is a serious offence, not only because of the danger that poses to you, but the danger it poses to other road users.”
He ordered Niecko to pay a fine totalling £320 and also disqualified him from driving for 14 months.
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