Disqualified drink driver to spend new year behind bars

A disqualified drink driver will bring in the New Year in prison.

Officers were on patrol in Peterborough at around 5.21am on Boxing Day (26 December) when they came across a vehicle being driven erratically in St John’s Street.

Once the vehicle was stopped, officers suspected the driver, Danius Bulka, had been drinking but he refused to provide a roadside breath test.

In custody he gave an evidential sample of 55 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath, over the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Further checks also revealed he had no insurance and was disqualified from driving.

At Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Friday (27 December), 39-year-old Bulka, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to drink driving, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified. He was disqualified from driving for four years and sentenced to eight weeks in prison.

PC Daniel Crowther, who investigated, said: “There is no excuse for drink driving and this case shows that while we can’t be everywhere, we could be anywhere so please don’t take any risks by getting behind the wheel after drinking.”

Throughout December, officers are carrying out roadside checks across the county and people are also being reminded of the 24/7 confidential, dedicated hotline to report drink and drug drivers on 0800 032 0845. If someone is in immediate danger, always call 999.

For information about drink or drug driving, the law and the dangers it can cause, visit the force's dedicated web page.