A priest from the West Flemish town of Waregem has been fined and issued with a 45-day driving ban. After a concert at a church the priest had consumed a quantity of alcohol that put him above the legal limit to drive. Nevertheless, he got behind the wheel of his car and drove down the E17 motorway. Realising that he had forgotten his mobile phone, the clergyman turned around on the motorway and attempted to head back to the church.
Drunken priest fined and issued with driving ban after he drove the wrong way down the motorway
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The 39-year-old priest had gone to the concert at the invitation of one of his friends. On his way home he realised that he had forgotten his mobile phone. He pulled over onto the hard shoulder and set about looking for his phone. When he couldn’t find he set off down the motorway in the wrong direction.
En route he hit a concrete block on the central reservation. A little further on the police were able to get him off the motorway. Thankfully the priest had not caused any serious accidents.
A breath test revealed that the clergyman has 1.59 per mile alcohol in his blood. His driving licence was confiscated on the spot for 15 days. At a Police Court hearing, a magistrate extended the driving ban by a further month and also fined the priest 600 euro.