IPSWICH: A Boxing Day drink-driver who was restrained by members of the public after smashing into parked cars in a quiet residential street has been branded a potential killer by a judge.

Sitting at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court District Judge David Cooper said Marcin Kosmowski, 34, should be ashamed after getting behind the wheel following a Christmas vodka binge.

He was banned from the road for two years.

Addressing Kosmowski, Judge Cooper said: “People like you are potential killers and you have been brought to book because of public spirited members of the public.”

Judge Cooper went on to deliver a ringing endorsement of The Evening Star’s Name and Shame campaign.

He added: “The press quite rightly show interest in cases like yours. You should be named and shamed and you should be ashamed of yourself. You were vastly over the limit.”

Kosmowski, of London Road, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to charges of using a motor vehicle without third party insurance, driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and drink driving. The court heard Kosmowski recorded a reading of 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Prosecuting solicitor Rosalind Cappelman said Kosmowski was driving a Citroen C5 in Hutland Road, Ipswich, on Boxing Day when the incident happened.

Mrs Cappelman added: “This happened on December 26 at 9.22am. The car had crashed into stationary vehicles and ends up on its side in the road. The defendant tried to leave the scene and was prevented from doing so by residents.

“He failed the breath test. One witness said the car was travelling above 30mph.”

The court heard Kosmowski, who holds a Polish driving licence and a UK provisional licence, had been drinking vodka the night before and guzzled two ciders before leaving the house the morning after.

Mitigating for Kosmowski, solicitor Robert Newbould said his client did not normally drink.

He added: “He had been celebrating Christmas and he rather overdoes it.”

Judge Cooper, who said the members of the public who restrained Kosmowski should be congratulated, said that if he had not had to stick to sentencing guidelines he would have sent Kosmowski to prison.

Instead Kosmowski was made the subject of a community order for one year to include 100 hours of unpaid work. In addition, Kosmowski was banned from driving for 24 months. Furthermore, Kosmowski was fined �200 for driving without insurance and he was fined a further �100 for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. His licence was endorsed and he was ordered to pay costs of �85 and a government surcharge of �15.

Warning Kosmowski, Judge Cooper added: “Make sure this never happens again. If it does prison will follow.”

n Have you been affected by drink-driving? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk