A MAN who rode an e-scooter while drunk in Southampton just months after crashing a motorbike has been ordered to pay almost £2,000.
Painter and decorator Michal Kurzawa was found to be under the influence on Wimpson Lane on September 18 this year.
Southampton Magistrates' Court was told how police had been called to an unrelated report of a shoplifting at a shop.
But when Kurzawa also turned up riding an e-scooter, he started talking to police before riding away.
Officers saw he was drunk and breathalysed him. He blew 86 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Prosecuting, Varun Chuni said the incident had taken place just months after he had been involved in a drunken crash whilst riding a motorbike.
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Travelling along the M271 in Southampton on June 28, the 37-year-old of, Mansel Road West, lost control of the bike and ended up crashing and injuring himself.
Police attended and he was later tested - he had 144mg of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, almost twice the 80 limit.
Kurzawa admitted two counts of drink-driving. He also admitted driving without insurance or a licence at the time of the motorbike crash.
Mitigating, Simon Collingham told the court that Kurzawa has “regret” and “remorse” for what he has done, and added he is “somebody who wants to learn from this experience.”
He added the defendant is “someone who’s highly unlikely to come back before the courts”.
The self-employed painter and decorator had come to the UK from Poland with his family in 2005, where it is legal to ride e-scooters.
He was unaware of the results of the breath test from the motorbike crash at the time of the second incident.
But magistrate Hayley Homer told him that they would impose a fine for each offence.
Kurzawa, who employs two people in his business, was fined £665, and ordered to pay a surcharge of £532 and costs of £85.
He was also disqualified from driving for 22 months and given 28 days to make the payments.
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