A mechanic took up the offer of returning to Poland or face up to 12 months in jail after he was caught drink driving four times in the last three months, the District Court heard last Tuesday (November 4 ).
Mariusz Baginski (29 ), with an address at 22, Millbrook Drive, Athlone was first stopped on August 4 at Bogganfin and produced an intoxiliser reading of 95 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit in Ireland is 35/100.
He was subsequently stopped again on October 12 at Baylough (74/100 ), October 26 in Monksland (77/100 ), and again in Monksland on November 2 (89/100 ).
“On each occasion the defendant had to be persuaded to stop,” said Superintendent Aidan Glacken.
His solicitor, Mr Padriag Quinn, told the court Baginski accepted he had an alcohol problem.
“Mercifully, judge, there were no accidents involving anyone else,” he said.
He explained how his client worked full-time as a mechanic to support his ill mother in Poland.
“This has been of considerable concern to him,” said Mr Quinn. “He accepts he was out of order and will get rid of his car”.
“Which one?” said Judge David Anderson, pointing out that there were three different registration numbers on the charge sheets.
“He just wants to hold up his hands and accept responsibility,” said Mr Quinn.
“On each occasion he has managed to score at the top of the [intoxiliser] scale,” said the judge. “The only way to keep him out of prison is if he wants to return home”.
Mr Quinn accepted this option on behalf of his client but told the court he would need a little time to settle his affairs and sell some of his assets.
“He had come to earn money for his mother but that wouldn’t be likely while in custody,” said Mr Quinn.
“He might manage it if he wasn’t spending all this other money on getting this intoxicated,” said the judge.
He gave Baginski until November 25 “to show his affairs were in order”.
“Whether he’s here or not I will be sentencing him on that day,” said the judge. Given the nature of the offences, it’ll probably total up to 12 months and I haven’t even done the sums yet for the multiple lengths of disqualifications but it will be a substantial time”.
