A SUSPECTED drink driver who failed to give police an adequate breath specimen at Carlisle’s Durranhill Police HQ blamed being “stressed.”

At the city’s Rickergate court, Bartosz Urbanowicz, 44, of Ennerdale Avenue, Botcherby, who had initially provided a roadside breath test that suggested he was double the drink drive limit when police stopped him, pleaded guilty to the offence.

Prosecutor Pam Ward said the defendant was driving a Mercedes vehicle on July 9 this year which was involved in a minor road traffic accident. The incident resulted in minor damage to both vehicles involved.

“Police officers arrested the defendant on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit,” said Mrs Ward. “The defendant provided a positive read of 75mcg [of alcohol in 100mls of breath] at the roadside.”

The legal limit for driving is 35mcg.

But when he was at the city’s police station he twice failed to provide an adequate “evidential” breath specimen, either starting to blow into the device and then stopping or not blowing at all, said Mrs Ward.

Chris Toms, defending, said the defendant, who works as an egg collector, said the inevitable driving ban would make Urbanowicz’s life difficult but it would not force him to give up his job.

The lawyer said: “He accepts that he was properly stopped and arrested. He also accepts that he provided a roadside breath specimen which was positive with a reading of 75mcg.  At the police station, he didn’t provide a specimen.

“He said he was feeling very stressed. But he accepts that he should have provided a specimen at the police station.”

Magistrates fined the defendant £330, with £85 costs and a £132 victim surcharge. They also imposed a 15-month ban but offered the defendant the drink driver rehabilitation course, which if completed by May 12 next year will reduce the ban by 15 weeks.

He must pay the 16-hour course himself.