A drunk HGV driver who was caught swerving across a dual carriageway before being found to be more than six times the legal drink-drive limit has been handed a suspended prison sentence and banned from the roads. Darek Smagiel, 55, was stopped by Cambridgeshire Police on the A14 at Fenstanton on Monday afternoon after concerned members of the public reported his dangerous driving. Officers intercepted the Iveco lorry and discovered several bottles of whisky inside the vehicle’s cab. 
A roadside breath test revealed Smagiel had 221 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – more than six times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
Dangerous driving reported by public
Police said members of the public raised the alarm after witnessing the HGV swerving across the dual carriageway, prompting an immediate response from roads policing officers. Smagiel, who has no fixed address, was arrested and later appeared before Cambridge Magistrates’ Court. He pleaded guilty to drink driving and dangerous driving. The court sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from driving for three years.
‘He put members of the public at risk’
Police Constable James Allen, from Cambridgeshire Police’s Road Policing Unit, said:
“Smagiel’s driving fell far below the standards of a careful and competent driver.
“He put members of the public at risk of a serious collision.
“I would like to thank members of the public who called in to report his driving, which has ensured he is now off the roads for a considerable time.”
The case serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by drink-driving, particularly when heavy goods vehicles are involved, with police urging anyone who witnesses dangerous driving to report it immediately.
