A former Hearts football coach has been banned from driving for 14 months after being caught twice over the drink-drive limit.
Maciej Najda, 24, was pulled over by police in Edinburgh after they noticed a problem with the tyres on his vehicle.
After being breathalysed and caught twice over the limit, the coach stated that a group of teenagers had slashed his tyres, and he had driven off in the fear they would come back.
Despite claiming he had only drank "half a beer", Najda was found to be twice over the legal limit to drive his Volkswagen Passat on June 17 2020.
He then went on to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday (May 13), and pled guilty to drink driving on Drum Brae South.
He also admitted having 54 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 22mg, reports the Record.
Fiscal depute Callum Thomson said Najda told police he’d drank “half a beer” shortly before driving and apologised to them for committing the offence.
Defence agent Peter O’Neill, acting for Najda, said his client had been at a friend’s house when his tyre was slashed by teens.
Mr O’Neill said: “He was worried they were going to come back and he jumped into his car.
The solicitor said Najda had driven less than half-a-mile when the tyre drew the attention of police.
Mr O’Neill said Najda had been living in Edinburgh for a couple of years and worked as a goalkeeping coach with Hearts. His client had hoped to move to Manchester and pick up work with one of the city clubs, he added, but his plans fell through due to the pandemic.
Mr O’Neill said Najda, who is currently living in Reading, Berkshire, was returning to Poland to work as a football coach. Sheriff John Cook banned Najda from driving for 14 months and fined him £500.
