A HGV driver who twice crashed while attempting to get into work at a Pinchbeck factory was found to be over the drink drive limit.
Robert Obremski, 50, who lives in Poland, appeared before Boston Magistrates Court last week after he was seen colliding with barriers while trying to enter FreshLinc in Bervor Close early on Sunday June 23.
The hearing was told a member of staff who witnessed the collision, took the keys off the defendant and called police after smelling alcohol on his breath.
A subsequent test found 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of Obremski’s breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Prosecuting Mrs Alison McIlroy, said the witness had watched the defendant leave one barrier ‘crumbled’, then made a u-turn on the road before damaging the lorry hitting another barrier and re-entering via the exit.
“When interviewed by police he stated he was driving on a private road,” she said. “He later admitted the offence after being shown driving on a public road on CCTV.”
The court was told Obremski, who admitted a charge of driving while over the legal limit for alcohol, was set to lose his job which involved regularly driving between Poland and the UK.
Defence solicitor Miss Phillip Chatterton said he had no previous convictions and flew in just for the court case where a translator was present.
“He’d driven over from Poland the night before the incident,” she said. “He did not know the Spalding area, had driven his allocated hours and had to sleep in his lorry overnight. He went to the shop and brought food and beer.
“The next day he thought he wasn’t over the legal limit. That was a mistake.
“He’s devastated. He’s said he will never drink again.”
Obremski was disqualified from driving in the UK for 16 months to be reduced by 16 weeks on successful completion of a drink driving awareness course, for which he’d have to pay for a translator.
He was also fined £120, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
