Man (33) gets two year ban from roads

An east Perthshire man was banned from driving for two years after he failed to co-operate with police and ignored their requests to provide two breath specimens.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that 33-year-old Michal Lakota, of Perth Street, Blairgowrie, had been pulled over by officers around 3.15am.

“He was unsteady on his feet, his eyes were bloodshot and he was also smelling of alcohol,” explained depute fiscal Craig Donald.

He was advised he would have to provide a breath test but he claimed he didn’t understand English.

Officers then explained to him “in plain terms” - and demonstrated what he had to do.

He was then taken to Perth police headquarters where he was asked to provide two breath specimens.

But he told officers: “I don’t understand why you have arrested me.”

Mr Donald added: “Once again the procedure was explained to him in plain terms but he refused to comply.”

During his time at the station he was also offered the services of a “telephone interpreter” which it appeared he took up, added the depute fiscal.

Lakota admitted failing, without reasonable excuse, to provide the breath samples on September 29 last year.

He was subject to two bail orders from the Perth court, one of them just 10 days earlier.

In addition to the driving ban, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis ordered the accused to complete 125 hours of unpaid work in the community.