SPAIN: When José Antonio Lopez was arrested for drink driving, local police thought it was a clear cut case. He smelled heavily of alcohol and even leapt out of the police van in a foolhardy attempt to escape.
But to the bafflement of road safety experts in Spain, a Barcelona court has ruled that Mr Lopez's bid for freedom proved his innocence.
Judge Elena Guindulain Oliveras, said the fact that he had managed to run 100 metres in a straight line after jumping from the van without falling over was not consistent with the charge that he was under the influence of alcohol.
Though the judge accepted that Mr Lopez was aggressive to police and medical staff, smelled strongly of alcohol, and had previously needed to lean on a wall to support himself, she decided to overturn his conviction.
She said: "Mr Lopez's aggression could have been as a result of his indignation at what he, rightly or wrongly, felt was incorrect medical practice following his injuries in the accident."
Mr Juan José Alba, director of the road safety group at the University of Zaragoza, said yesterday: "We have a whole world of problems with the judges and their attitude to drink driving."
Mr Lopez was detained by local police after a traffic accident last October near the Catalan town of Manresa. He was convicted by the local court, but launched an appeal. His lawyers declined to comment.