Drink driver got takeaway for hungry girlfriend

A 34-YEAR-OLD man caught drink-driving after getting a takeaway for his hungry girlfriend has been told he should have taken a taxi or phoned for a delivery.

Lukasz Waiter, of Waterside Street, Strabane, was charged with driving with excess alcohol in his breath within the vicinity of Railway Street, not having a licence and using a motor vehicle without insurance on May 13, 2022.

Appearing before Strabane Magistrates Court last Thursday, Waiter entered guilty pleas to all charges.

The court heard that, at 11.15pm, police received a report of careless driving within the vicinity of Railway Street and a local drive-through takeaway. The caller stated that a Vauxhall Corsa had performed a “dangerous overtaking manoeuvre” prior to entering the drive-through.

Police followed the car, but lost sight of the vehicle for a short time. It was subsequently located in Eden Street.

The male driver got out of the vehicle and made off from police on foot, leaving two female passengers behind. He later returned to the scene.

After detecting a smell of intoxicating liquor, the male, who had identified himself as the defendant, was asked to take a breath test. After failing this, he was arrested and taken into custody.

A further evidential breath test returned a reading of 48 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – a total of 13 in excess of the legal limit.

no licence

Prior to interview, police checks of the system discovered the defendant had no licence and the vehicle was not insured.

During interview, Waiter stated that he had two or three beers in his house. He said his girlfriend was hungry and he had taken his last beer around an hour before and thought he would be okay to drive.

The defendant told officers he had a full licence in Poland and believed he was covered to drive in the North. But he accepted there was no insurance on the car.

Representing himself in court, and speaking through an interpreter, the defendant claimed that he did not know that he had been followed by police, as it had been an unmarked car and there were no flashing lights.

Waiter told the court that, on the day, he had four bottles of beer. He added that he was “very sorry” for what happened.

The defendant told the court that his driving licence was a European one and in the previous times he had been stopped by police there had never been an issue with it.

Deputy district judge, Trevor Browne, observed that the defendant had taken four beers at his house and should have phoned for a delivery or got a taxi.

The judge imposed fines totalling £400, imposed a £15 offender levy and disqualified the defendant from driving for 12 months.