A MOTORIST who was “out of it” when he drove the wrong way over the Orwell bridge is today behind bars.An Ipswich judge said it was “a matter of luck no one was killed or injured”.

A MOTORIST who was “out of it” when he drove the wrong way over the Orwell bridge is today behind bars.

An Ipswich judge said it was “a matter of luck no one was killed or injured”.

Rafal Karbowski was three and a half times the legal drink drive limit when police stopped him driving westbound in the eastbound carriageway.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that oncoming motorists flashed their lights and swerved to avoid colliding with the Vauxhall Vectra which was driving towards them at about 60 miles per hour.

Karbowski told police “I was out of it”. He said he realised something was not right because oncoming traffic was flashing him but he could not work out what was wrong.

Rebecca Wastall, prosecuting, said the 32-year-old had consumed a huge amount of whisky from 6pm on October 24 at his home at The Downs, Felixstowe. She said he had driven about six miles when police driving next to him in the correct lane signalled for Karbowski to pull over at 4.17am the following day on the A14 near the Wherstead turn off.

A roadside breath test was positive and the lowest reading was 120 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

The court heard that Karbowski was a Polish national who had lived and worked as a lorry driver in the UK for three years.

Karbowski who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol told police he was fully aware of the UK road laws and driving on the left hand side of the road.

Marcus Croskell, mitigating, said his client was of previous good character and had a clean driving licence.

He said: “He cannot give an explanation why he drove that night. There is clear and genuine remorse.”

Judge John Devaux said: “It is a matter of luck no one was killed or injured. Fortunately this driving occurred at 4 o'clock in the morning when there would have been less traffic on the road.”

He sentenced Karbowski to a total of 10 months in prison and disqualified him from driving for three years.

Karbowski was told he would have to pass an extended driving test before he would be allowed to drive in the UK again.

Judge Devaux added: “If your driving had of resulted in death your sentence would have been measured in years.”