Man banned from roads after driving whilst three times alcohol limit

Thursday 19 October 2023

A motorist who was involved in an accident while almost three times the legal alcohol limit has escaped a prison sentence.

St Saviour Centenier Steven Laffoley-Edwards told the Magistrate’s Court that all three emergency services attended the accident on Longueville Road on the afternoon of 5 August, when Damin Nikodem Niedbala’s grey Volkswagen was involved in a collision with a silver Shogun.

Both cars hit walls as they tried to avoid each other. Mr Laffoley-Edwards said that the Shogun driver had been left frightened to drive after the experience.

Niedbala was found to have no insurance – and a blood test at the police headquarters showed that he had 223 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal maximum is 80 milligrams.

Advocate Frances Littler, defending, said Niedbala had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty early.

She added that he had not consumed alcohol on the day in question and did not realise it was still in his system from the night before.

Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke said the offences could have resulted in a prison sentence, but that he was imposing 110 hours of community service for drinking and driving and a further 20 hours for driving without insurance.

Niedbala must also retake the driving test before driving again.