A FORTH bridge worker has been hit with a heavy fine for driving while drunk and hitting a kerb.

Zbighiew Partyka was ordered to pay a fine £1000 and disqualified from holding a licence for 14 months for being five times over the limit.

Depute fiscal, Jade Doig, told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that police had been contacted at around 10am of reports that there was a vehicle driving rapidly.

Officers attended the scene and saw Partyka's car hit a kerb. When they stopped him they could clearly smell alcohol and carried out a breathalyser test.

Partyka, 55, of Primmer Place, Cowdenbeath, previously admitted that on May 26 on a road or other public place, namely Seco Place, Cowdenbeath, and elsewhere, he did drive a motor vehicle after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath was 101 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath which exceeded the prescribed limit, namely 22 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Defence solicitor, Ian Beatson, explained that his client's work in construction requires him to have regular drug and alcohol tests and that he does not drink alcohol often.

"It was unusual for him but he had three days off in a row and consumed alcohol the previous night, " the solicitor said.

"He intended to mow his lawn but needed to get petrol for the equipment to do that so went out to buy some.

"He did not feel like he was under the influence of alcohol and thinks the reading is due to a slow metabolism.

"Mr Partyka's family disapprove of this and his son lives locally while his daughter lives in Poland. She is very displeased in what he has done.

"He has no previous convictions in this country or any other and he is a very hard working man. He is very regretful for what he has done but his appears to be an isolated offence and he has certainly learnt his lesson.

"He is now reliant on others to get him to work, having to leave at 5am and returning at 7pm. He will remain in employment with Babcock as they look to refurbish the existing bridge."

Sheriff Derek Reekie told Partyka: "This was a very high reading, reaching five times over the limit. It's hard to imagine how you were not aware of the affects of the alcohol you had the night before.

"To get this level the next day means you must have had a significant amount to drink."