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'High tolerance' cited in man's drunk driving win

Published: 6 Feb 13 10:55 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/46030/20130206/

A 61-year-old caught driving with a blood-alcohol level five times over Sweden's legal limit walked free after a court in southern Sweden cited his high tolerance for alcohol.

The man, who works night shifts in Ystad, southern Sweden, told the court he had been drinking heavily on the day he was pulled over by police in November last year, wrote the Skånskan newspaper.

He had downed the contents of six small snapps bottles and a full-strength beer during the day leading up to his shift, but this was nothing unusual, he claimed.

The 61-year-old explained that he drinks every day, even before work, and that the additional 200 millilitres of mulled wine (glögg in Swedish) made no difference to his mental state.

But when he was pulled over, the man had a blood alcohol content of exactly 1.0 promille, five-times over Sweden's legal limit of 0.2 promille and enough to warrant stiffer charges of aggravated drunken driving.

He claimed, however, that he didn't feel under the influence at all while driving to work.

He also blamed the glögg for putting him so far over the limit, but pleaded with the court that he shouldn't be convicted because he thought the traditional Swedish mulled wine he had been drinking was simply an alcohol-free variety.

The court agreed, stating in its ruling that as the man drinks alcohol every day, even before heading to work, he must have a high tolerance for alcohol, Skånskan wrote.

The court therefore threw out the charges altogether and the man was set free.

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11:53 February 6, 2013 by StockholmSam
There must be more to this story than meets the eye. If not, then oh my god.
12:16 February 6, 2013 by adshasta
No, I simply don't buy it!
12:17 February 6, 2013 by irridium
I agree with the verdict.

When I drink my mental state does not decrease in the least. If anything it gets better, as long as the concrete that I am walking on is not uneven and there are no sudden shifts to the earth's gravitational pull.....

I think it could be related to the sudden ninja abilities that I possess after a few shots, or even the gift of fluency in languages I didn't know I spoke!
12:18 February 6, 2013 by adshasta
I don't buy it!
12:21 February 6, 2013 by RobinHood
Was the defendant, by any chance, a close relative of the judge?
13:14 February 6, 2013 by StockholmSam
Honest, your honor, I felt fine after drinking a whole bottle of Jack Daniels that I thought was alcohol-free.
14:06 February 6, 2013 by Flutterbye
Reading this article fills me with hope......I thought only the UK had lunatic judges but I now know Sweden has them too.
15:10 February 6, 2013 by Svensksmith
Judging by their sentences, some Swedish judges must have a high tolerance for murder, too.
16:33 February 6, 2013 by jbaggins
Cliff: Well ya see, Norm, it's like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

A quote from 'Cheers'
18:43 February 6, 2013 by Snoopy!
Nope only in Sweden the real deal !

http://www.ystadsallehanda.se/ystad/article1809987/Rattfull-frias---trodde-han-druckit-lattglogg.html
18:45 February 6, 2013 by H4mm4r3
I would love to know his name.

For some "unexplainable" reason i do not think it's something like Svensson.
19:01 February 6, 2013 by johan rebel
Good for him!

Ha ha ha ha, Sweden is so funny.
19:52 February 6, 2013 by dizzymoe33
Why bother having laws in Sweden if you can be illegally over the alcohol limit for drinking but still not be held accountable?!! Very frustrating country when it comes to your laws and the enforcement of those laws.

I have a high tolerance to alcohol as well but in my Country if I were to get caught driving while intoxicated I would be arrested and charged with a DWI and fined and have my drivers licensed suspended.
20:59 February 11, 2013 by tadchem
The tolerance of people for alcohol varies from person to person. The tolerance of law for people varies as well. My grandfather would drink 24 bottles of beer (one case) each day - before dinner. After dinner he would drink only his usual fifth of whiskey. He never seemed drunk. He was Irish.

One glass of wine will put my wife out for the night.
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