A Tayside recycling supremo who faked his identity to help take up a £150,000 a year job was rumbled when he was clocked speeding at 100 miles per hour in Perthshire.
Andrzej Bagienski, who is in charge of supermarket chain Lidl’s Scottish recycling operation, laughed at police officers when he was pulled over.
The 42-year-old had been using someone else’s driving licence because he was afraid he would not have been hired for the plum job if his employer was aware he was already banned from driving.
After handing police the false ID he was using, eagle-eyed officers spotted a second licence in his wallet, in his own name and with the same photograph.
Real licence spotted in wallet
Fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton told Perth Sheriff Court: “Officers were on a static check when they noticed a vehicle traveling at excessive speed and recorded 100 miles per hour.
“They followed the vehicle attempting to find a safe place to stop.
“All the time he was traveling at no less than 100 mph.”
He said the journey covered ten miles between Inchture and Kinfauns.
“He was eventually stopped at Kinfauns.
“The accused immediately began laughing as if the offence was of no concern to him.
“He provided a full driving licence in the name Bartlomiej Makowski, with a date of birth of 10 March 1984.
“The photo on the licence was of the accused.
“As he was flicking through his wallet to get the licence, officers noted a provisional licence and they asked to see this.
“He produced it and a Polish ID card, both in the name Andrzej Bagienski.
“He stated that when he got married he changed his name and his date of birth.
“A check with immigration confirmed his ID.
“It was noted then that he was disqualified from driving.”
Hid driving ban from employer
Bagienski, of Grange Gait, Monifieth, admitted speeding on the A90 Dundee to Perth dual carriageway at 100 miles per hour on September 7.
He also admitted driving while banned and without insurance, as well as having possession of a driving licence belonging to someone else.
He further admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by pretending he was Bartlomiej Makowski when he was asked for documentation by police.
Solicitor Paul Dunne, defending, said: “You have the combination of a disregard for a court order, disregard for public safety and a deliberate act.
“He wholly accepts his responsibility.
“It was a frankly stupid course of conduct.
“He has imperilled more or less everything he has in life.
“He is in particularly well-paid employment.
“He was living in London and rarely drove to and from work.
“Being disqualified in London was not something he told his employers about.”
Prison would destroy career
Mr Dunne said his client works for a company which had a sole contract carrying out all of Lidl’s recycling and he was given control of the entire Scottish operation.
“He hadn’t told his employers about his convictions. He panicked.
“Given the nature of his work driving was an absolute requirement.
“He was frightened that if he told them he couldn’t drive he wouldn’t have been thought suitable.
“Over his period in Scotland he has massively impressed his employers.
“His employer now knows about these charges.
“A period in custody will effectively destroy his career.
“Losing a job that pays the rate he earns would mean a very significant lifestyle change.”
Prison justified
Sheriff William Wood said: “In this particular situation – possibly through greed or desperation – you chose to conceal your driving convictions from your employers in order to secure your current position, which is very responsible and very well remunerated.
“It is a source of concern that, having so much going for you in your professional and family life, that you would jeopardise it all by behaving in this way.
“It seemed a profound act of stupidity that you would bring yourself to the attention of police by driving at this speed, knowing you were disqualified and didn’t have a licence.
“Taken together, these offences are serious enough to justify a prison sentence.
“I am not satisfied a prison sentence is the only way this can be dealt with.”
He banned Bagienski from driving for four years and ordered him to carry out the maximum 300 hours unpaid work in the community.
