King's Lynn man's attempt at reconciliation ended in disaster

A man who crashed into two parked cars in Lynn while almost twice the drink-drive limit had taken his ex-partner’s car without her consent.

Janis Lulaks was staying at her house as they tried to rekindle their relationship. He took her Vauxhall Astra to see friends on the Fairstead estate while she slept, Lynn Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday.

Stacie Cossey, prosecuting, said witnesses who reported the collision in Tennyson Avenue to police had seen the driver park nearby and run off. It was about 4.30pm on February 23.

Lulaks, 30, was traced to County Court Road. He failed a roadside breath test and he was discovered to have an expired provisional licence and no insurance. A later evidential test showed 158 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood; the legal limit is 80.

Miss Cossey told the court that Lulaks had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol and the crash had resulted in two cars being written off.

Lulaks, of North Everard Street, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, drink-driving, having no insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and failing to stop after an accident.

Mitigating, Rob New said the crash occurred when Lulaks swerved to avoid a car which had pulled out in front of him.

“He said he leaves the scene because he’s frightened,” Mr New added.

For each offence of drink-driving and aggravated vehicle taking, Lulaks was disqualified for three years (to run concurrently) and given a 12-month community order with 100 hours’ unpaid work. He was sentenced to a further 40 hours’ unpaid work for failing to stop and fined £300 for having no insurance. He was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to one of the car owners and £170 in costs and victim surcharge.