'High tolerance' cited in man's drunk driving win
A 61-year-old caught driving with a blood-alcohol level five times over Sweden's legal limit walked free after a court in southern Sweden cited his high tolerance for alcohol.
The man, who works night shifts in Ystad, southern Sweden, told the court he had been drinking heavily on the day he was pulled over by police in November last year, wrote the Skånskan newspaper.
He had downed the contents of six small snapps bottles and a full-strength beer during the day leading up to his shift, but this was nothing unusual, he claimed.
The 61-year-old explained that he drinks every day, even before work, and that the additional 200 millilitres of mulled wine (glögg in Swedish) made no difference to his mental state.
But when he was pulled over, the man had a blood alcohol content of exactly 1.0 promille, five-times over Sweden's legal limit of 0.2 promille and enough to warrant stiffer charges of aggravated drunken driving.
He claimed, however, that he didn't feel under the influence at all while driving to work.
He also blamed the glögg for putting him so far over the limit, but pleaded with the court that he shouldn't be convicted because he thought the traditional Swedish mulled wine he had been drinking was simply an alcohol-free variety.
The court agreed, stating in its ruling that as the man drinks alcohol every day, even before heading to work, he must have a high tolerance for alcohol, Skånskan wrote.
The court therefore threw out the charges altogether and the man was set free.
The Local/og
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The man, who works night shifts in Ystad, southern Sweden, told the court he had been drinking heavily on the day he was pulled over by police in November last year, wrote the Skånskan newspaper.
He had downed the contents of six small snapps bottles and a full-strength beer during the day leading up to his shift, but this was nothing unusual, he claimed.
The 61-year-old explained that he drinks every day, even before work, and that the additional 200 millilitres of mulled wine (glögg in Swedish) made no difference to his mental state.
But when he was pulled over, the man had a blood alcohol content of exactly 1.0 promille, five-times over Sweden's legal limit of 0.2 promille and enough to warrant stiffer charges of aggravated drunken driving.
He claimed, however, that he didn't feel under the influence at all while driving to work.
He also blamed the glögg for putting him so far over the limit, but pleaded with the court that he shouldn't be convicted because he thought the traditional Swedish mulled wine he had been drinking was simply an alcohol-free variety.
The court agreed, stating in its ruling that as the man drinks alcohol every day, even before heading to work, he must have a high tolerance for alcohol, Skånskan wrote.
The court therefore threw out the charges altogether and the man was set free.
The Local/og
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