Green politician wins drunk case
Senior Green politician Per Gahrton has been acquitted of drunk driving by a court near Stockholm.
Sollentuna district court ruled that Gahrton's breath test was administered by a police officer who was not qualified to do so.
"It feels good," Gahrton told TT.
The former Riksdag and European Parliament deputy was charged with drunk driving after a car crash near Arlanda airport in May 2005. When police breathalysed Gahrton half an hour after the crash they found that he had 0.1 milligrams of alcohol per litre in his breath, which corresponds to 0.2 milligrams in the blood – the legal limit for drink driving.
The accident happened at lunchtime the day after Gahrton had been at a party.
Gahrton said that his acquittal showed that the Swedish justice worked.
"It is important that the rules are followed and that people are found not guilty when there is doubt."
But he said had changed his behaviour.
"It made me think again, and today I don't drink at all," said Gahrton, adding that higher demands need to be placed on politicians than on others.
Gahrton, one of the founders of the Green Party, remains on the party's board. He says he plans to stand for election to the Riksdag in September's election.
Prosecutors said they would decide next week whether to appeal.
TT/The Local
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Sollentuna district court ruled that Gahrton's breath test was administered by a police officer who was not qualified to do so.
"It feels good," Gahrton told TT.
The former Riksdag and European Parliament deputy was charged with drunk driving after a car crash near Arlanda airport in May 2005. When police breathalysed Gahrton half an hour after the crash they found that he had 0.1 milligrams of alcohol per litre in his breath, which corresponds to 0.2 milligrams in the blood – the legal limit for drink driving.
The accident happened at lunchtime the day after Gahrton had been at a party.
Gahrton said that his acquittal showed that the Swedish justice worked.
"It is important that the rules are followed and that people are found not guilty when there is doubt."
But he said had changed his behaviour.
"It made me think again, and today I don't drink at all," said Gahrton, adding that higher demands need to be placed on politicians than on others.
Gahrton, one of the founders of the Green Party, remains on the party's board. He says he plans to stand for election to the Riksdag in September's election.
Prosecutors said they would decide next week whether to appeal.
TT/The Local
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