A lorry driver has been sentenced after being found to be six times over the legal drink-driving limit.
Darek Smagiel was seen behind the wheel of a lorry swerving across the A14 eastbound at Fenstanton in Cambridgeshire earlier this week.
Cambridgeshire Police was alerted to the motorist following calls from members of the public about his dangerous driving.
The Iveco heavy goods vehicle was stopped by police officers, where they saw the floor of the cab covered in whiskey bottles.
Mr Smagiel provided a roadside breath test and blew 221 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
This is more than six times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes, while he provided an evidential reading of 121 two hours after his arrest.
At Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on July 14, Smagiel pleaded guilty to drink driving and dangerous driving.
The driver, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was disqualified from driving for three years.
The lorry was seen swerving across the motorway before multiple whiskey bottles were found in the driver’s cab
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CAMBRIDGESHIRE POLICE
PC James Allen, from the Road Policing Unit of Cambridgeshire Police, said the driver put other road users at risk of a “serious collision”.
He added: “Smagiel’s driving fell far below the standards of a careful and competent driver.
“I would like to thank members of the public who called in to report his driving, which has ensured he is now off the roads for a considerable time.”
Footage from Cambridgeshire Police shows the heavy goods vehicle swerving across the carriageway on the A14 on July 13.
Darek Smagiel was found to be six times over the legal drink-driving limit
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CAMBRIDGESHIRE POLICE
Police bodycam footage shows whiskey bottles strewn across the cab of the lorry
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CAMBRIDGESHIRE POLICE
The incident, which took place just after 1pm, saw the vehicle travelling at around 50mph while meandering between the first and second lane.
Once police officers entered the cab, Mr Smagiel was told that he was being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence or drink or drugs.
The officer said: “I’ve nicked him. Mate, I can smell the liquor in here. It’s as simple as that. You are drunk, you are.”
