Chester drink-driver nearly five times legal limit spat at police officer

Sylwester Zawadzki, 41, of Whipcord Lane, previously pleaded guilty to drink-driving, failing to stop after a road traffic accident, and assaulting a police officer.

Appearing at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, March 18, Zawadzki was jailed for 18 weeks.

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Prosecuting, Amanda York said it was on January 9 at 1.45pm when a witness reported having been in a road traffic collision at the Fountains Roundabout.

The caller reported having been in a VW vehicle when he was hit from behind by a Mini Cooper.

He went to speak to the driver of the Mini Cooper, who "presented as very drunk" as he was "unsteady on his feet and swaying". The driver was Zawadzki, and he walked off.

CCTV operators tracked him and police arrested him on Canal Street after failing a breath test.

Zawadzki was taken to custody, where he blew a reading of 170 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – nearly five times the legal limit of 35.

The court heard Zawadzki was that intoxicated, he had to be carried into custody, and he spat at a police officer in Blacon Custody Suite.

However, the officer reported he used "cat-like reflexes" to avoid the path of the spit.

In police interview, Zawadzki said he had drunk a bottle of vodka, and could not recall the crash or leaving the scene of the incident.

He had a previous conviction for drink-driving.

Zawadzki, defending himself, said it felt like "the day had disappeared" from his memory.

He said he was very stressed at the time as his partner was very sick at the time with cancer.

"I regret it very much, I am very sorry," he told the court.

District Judge Nicholas Sanders said: "Not for the first time, you have pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. The reading is five times the legal limit.

"That is a level which almost defies imagination. You certainly would not have been able to drive a vehicle safely, and indeed that is evidenced by the fact you had an accident and then tried to leave the scene.

"And to make matters worse, while in custody, you spat at a police officer.

"At any time, that is utterly unacceptable, but even more so in time of a pandemic, when people are extremely concerned about the spread of disease."

Zawadzki was jailed for a total of 18 weeks, and upon his release, will be banned from driving for five years.

He must pay £100 compensation to the police officer a £128 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.