Lorry driver six times over drink-drive limit sentenced after dangerous driving near Fenstanton
55-year-old HGV driver was found with a breath alcohol reading more than six times the legal limit
Last updated 15th Jul 2026
A lorry driver who was caught behind the wheel of a heavy goods vehicle while more than six times over the drink-drive limit has been sentenced after members of the public raised concerns about his driving.
Police stopped the Iveco HGV on the eastbound A14 near Fenstanton on Monday afternoon (13 July) following reports of dangerous driving. Officers discovered several bottles of whiskey inside the vehicle during the stop.
The driver, 55-year-old Darek Smagiel, was given a roadside breath test which showed a reading of 221 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit in England and Wales is 35 microgrammes.
After being arrested and taken into custody, Smagiel provided a further evidential breath sample around two hours later, recording a reading of 121 microgrammes.
Smagiel, who has no fixed address, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (14 July), where he admitted offences of drink driving and dangerous driving.
The court sentenced him to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and imposed a three-year driving ban.
PC James Allen, from the Road Policing Unit, said: “Smagiel’s driving fell far below the standards of a careful and competent river. 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.”