Trucker who smashed through A90 barrier has passport seized

Polish driver was five times the legal alcohol limit

A Polish trucker who smashed through the central reservation of one of Scotland’s deadliest roads while almost five times the legal alcohol limit yesterday had his passport seized by a sheriff.

Lorry driver Rafal Dlugosz was so intoxicated that he first veered off to the nearside of the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway near Brechin, then slammed through the barrier with a violent over-correction in an attempt to recover control of his lorry.

He then found himself on the opposite side of the road before being able to bring the truck back into the proper carriageway and pull over a short distance later.

When he was breathalysed, Dlugosz was found to have an alcohol reading of 98 microgrammes – more than four times the legal limit of 22.

The 30-year-old appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court where he pled guilty to charges of drink-driving and driving dangerously on the A90 on June 10 last year, near to the service road leading to West Kintrockat Farm.

The court heard he only held a Polish driving licence at the time of the offence, was living in that country and working as a continental lorry driver.

The full details of the incident will be given to the court at a later date, but Sheriff Derek Reekie heard that the accused’s passport and national identity card had been surrendered.

The accused’s solicitor said that given the serious nature of the offence, he understood a background report would likely be called for.

Sheriff Reekie continued the case until March 1 for a criminal justice background report and a Restriction of Liberty Order assessment.

“Once those are available the full circumstances of the offences will be narrated. This is a serious matter.”

He continued special bail conditions ordering the accused’s passport and identity card to be held by the court and banning him from applying for any new passport in the meantime.

Dlugosz, of Cuthill Crescent, Stoneyburn, Bathgate, was also banned from driving any motor vehicle in Scotland and made subject to an interim disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence.

“This is a serious matter. SHERIFF DEREK REEKIE