A MAN was more than three times the drink drive limit when he crashed into a Mercedes in a supermarket carpark.

Radoslaw Kozubek, 35, of North Street in Shotton, had been drinking vodka at home when his partner asked him for a lift home with her shopping. Shortly before 9pm on March 7, a male witness observed Kozubek in his red Vauxhall Astra as he collided with a stationary Mercedes vehicle in the carpark of Asda in Queensferry. The witness said he approached Kozubek’s car and when he asked if he could be of any assistance, noticed he was drunk. The man described how, fearing Kozubek might try and flee the scene, he removed the keys from the ignition, which led to him being threatened.

Paul Abraham, prosecuting at Mold Magistrates Court, said how Kozubek called the witness “a p***k” before he threatened to stab him, allegation which the defendant, speaking through his Polish interpreter, said were “absolute rubbish”.

North Wales Police were called to the scene and when officer’s arrived at the scene they noticed Kozubek appeared to be under the influence and after being conveyed into custody, provided a positive sample which gave a lowest reading of 116 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the limit of 35mg/100ml.

Mr Abraham went on to explain how the defendant had one previous conviction for drink driving, which was made by Cheshire Magistrates in September 2018 and how that ban had only come to and end a couple of days before he was found drunk behind the wheel.

Emma Simoes, defending, said her client, a factory worker, accepted the charge but not the version of events that had been described by the prosecution. He accepted there had been a collision in the carpark, when slight contact had been made when he was reversing. However, he claimed to have spoken to the driver of the other vehicle at the time and after both made checks for any signs of damage, had agreed to go on their way.

Probation officer Jamie Siddle, said that having interviewed Kozubek, who told him about the fact he had visited his mother in hospital on the day in question and because he had been told by doctors that they may not be able to resuscitate her should her condition deteriorate, he had gone home to drink vodka. He wasn’t sure about how much he had drunk, but admitted it had been “a stupid mistake” to agree to go and pick his partner up from the store because it had been raining at the time.

Mr Siddle went on to say that when challenged about the decision to do this having only just received his license back following an 18 month ban from the road, Kozubek said he didn’t believe the alcohol had been the reason why he collided with the other car. It was clear having spoken to the defendant at length that he had little thought of the potential consequences and danger posed by people who decide to drink and drive.

Mr Siddle said: “He told me the previous conviction was when he had been hungover. He felt he was perfectly fine to drive that day, but clearly wasn’t.

“He clearly fails to see the potential fatal consequences his actions could have on himself and others.”

Magistrates told Kozubek the fact this was his second conviction in just a couple of years, meant they had little option but to ban him from the road for three years. They also ordered him to serve a 12 month community order, which will include a requirement for him to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and complete 10 days of rehabilitative activity days.