Repeat Drunk Driver Busted Despite Driving Ban, Sentenced to Pre-Trial Detention in Warsaw

A 51-year-old man in Warsaw was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention after driving drunk twice while under an active court-ordered driving ban.

Arrested in Warsaw for Drunk Driving Despite Judicial Ban

Police officers in the Mokotów district of Warsaw detained a 51-year-old man who, despite an active court-issued ban on driving mechanical vehicles, twice drove a car while in a state of intoxication. Following his second arrest, at the request of the prosecutor’s office, the court applied a preventive measure against the suspect in the form of a two-month pre-trial detention.

In April 2026, police officers stopped a Jaguar X-Type vehicle for a road inspection. The incident took place on Gotarda Street in Warsaw’s Mokotów. A sobriety test showed 3.47 per mille of alcohol in the blood. During further proceedings, officers established that the 51-year-old man was driving the vehicle despite a binding court-ordered ban on driving mechanical vehicles.

Initial Charges and Police Supervision

The man faced charges regarding the commission of offenses under Article 178a § 1 of the Penal Code, consisting of driving a mechanical vehicle while intoxicated, which carries a penalty of up to 3 years of deprivation of liberty, and Article 244 of the Penal Code, concerning failure to comply with a court-ordered ban on driving mechanical vehicles, which carries a penalty ranging from 3 months to 5 years of deprivation of liberty. Despite the charges presented, pre-trial detention was not applied to the suspect at that time. The prosecutor’s office decided to apply a preventive measure in the form of police supervision, requiring him to undergo a sobriety test during each implementation of the supervision.

Second Offense and Subsequent Detention

Despite the applied preventive measures, the 51-year-old once again disregarded current regulations and the court ruling. A few days ago, he was detained by police officers on a public road at Wołoska Street in Warsaw. He was driving a Ford Mondeo car while in a state of intoxication, with a test showing 2.96 per mille of alcohol in the blood. Officers confirmed once again that the court-ordered driving ban was still in effect for him.

In connection with the repeated commission of offenses, the prosecutor submitted a motion to the court for a 90-day pre-trial detention of the suspect. The court, recognizing the prosecutor’s argument and the gathered evidentiary material, applied a preventive measure of pre-trial detention for a period of two months, thereby enabling the prosecutor’s office to conduct all necessary procedural activities.

Legal Consequences and Zero Tolerance Policy

For driving a mechanical vehicle while intoxicated and failing to comply with a binding court ruling, the man will bear criminal responsibility. The court will decide on the sentence, though current regulations provide for imprisonment, multi-year driving bans, or lifetime bans in cases specified by the law, the obligation to pay a monetary contribution, and the forfeiture of the vehicle or its equivalent upon meeting statutory conditions.

Law enforcement officers consistently react to every case of driving under the influence of alcohol and disregarding court rulings. Such behavior constitutes a flagrant violation of the law and poses a mortal threat to all road traffic participants. There will be no leniency for drivers who consciously endanger the lives of others, and every instance of drunk driving or non-compliance with a court ban will be met with a decisive police response, utilizing all legally provided measures to ensure road safety.