A man who got behind the wheel while four times over the limit admitted that he should have known better – as his cousin was killed by a drink-driver.

Mateusz Kaluzny, 22, was found slumped in his Fiat Punto on a kerb in Lockwood with paramedics forced to remove the keys from the ignition with the engine still running.

As Kirklees magistrates handed him a suspended jail term, Kaluzny said: “I’m very sorry for what happened and I’ll never do it again, especially after my cousin died in an accident caused by a drink-driver.

“I’m firmly against any driving under the influence of alcohol.”

Kaluzny, of Hillhouse, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving whilst over the prescribed limit when he appeared at the Huddersfield court.

Vanessa Jones, prosecuting, said that at 10.30pm on January 16 a witness was working on Albert Street when he noticed Kaluzny’s vehicle.

Mrs Jones told magistrates: “He heard a vehicle over revving and saw the Fiat Punto being driven around the corner.

“It stopped on the kerb and one male got out of the vehicle and walked away.

“The driver got out and then got back into the driver’s seat.

“After a few minutes the witness realised that the car was still there and went to check that everything was okay.

“Mr Kaluzny was slumped in the driver’s seat and the engine was still running.

Kirklees Magistrates Court
Kirklees Magistrates Court

“The witness called police who attended as did the paramedics who got there first, switched the engine off and took the keys.”

Kaluzny appeared under the influence of alcohol and, after failing a roadside breath test, was arrested.

Further tests at Huddersfield Police Station showed that he had 143 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

This is more than four times over the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Kaluzny, who had no previous convictions, was aided in court by a Polish interpreter.

He said: “There’s no excuse, no justification for what I did.

“I generally don’t drink. I was in distress because my partner had left and I’d like to apologise.”

Bench chairman Wayne Perriman said: “The offence is so serious that it has crossed the custody threshold.

“However you have indicated a high degree of remorse, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and have no previous convictions.”

Kaluzny, of Midland Street, was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody suspended for a year.

He was banned from driving for 36 months and has to pay £85 court costs and £115 victim surcharge.

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