Interpreter mix-up at Mansfield police station

A Polish man told Mansfield police he couldn't understand a telephone interpreter when he was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in charge of a car, a court heard.
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Mariusz Tomolowski was found asleep in his car, with the keys in the ignition, by police officers acting on a tip-off from a member of the public, on October 7.

No breath test was conducted at the roadside because the machine was faulty, said Ann Barrett, prosecuting, but at the police station Tomolowski claimed he couldn’t understand, or properly hear, an interpreter who was contacted by telephone.

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“Ultimately he was charged with this offence as police didn’t feel this was a reasonable excuse for failing to provide,” said Miss Barrett.

Tomolowski, 41, of Newgate Lane, Mansfield, admitted failing to provide a specimen for analysis when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Monday.

Rebecca Williams, mitigating, said he hadn’t driven prior to his arrest, and went to sit in the car to calm down after arguing with his partner.

She said he spraypaints doors for a living and needs a driving license to keep his job because he transports his own tools.

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Tomolowksi, who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, believed he would be unable to provide a specimen as he felt dizzy, but he made no attempts to do so, added Ms Williams.

He was fined £200 fine, and ordered to pay a £30 government tax and £85 costs. Ten points were added to his driving licence.

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