AN ex-shopkeeper who was commended for saving 30 people from a burning building has lost his licence after drink-driving and crashing his car into a wall.
Sawar Muradi, of Tudors Avenue in Gwersyllt, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Monday.
The 40-year-old admitted that on October 28, he drove a BMW motor vehicle in Croesnewydd Road after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his blood exceeded the specified limit.
Justin Espie, prosecuting, told the court that just before 5am on the day of the offence, police were informed of an incident in which the defendant's vehicle had collided with a brick wall.
There was "significant damage" to the vehicle.
When he was taken to the police station, Muradi provided a sample which confirmed he had 173 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - the limit being 80.
David Matthews, defending, told the court: "The collision didn't cause any damage to the wall and Mr Muradi wasn't injured.
"But his vehicle was written off as a result.
"It was the early hours and he'd been out in Wrexham.
"He had no intention of driving but when it came to 4am and he still wasn't able to get a taxi, he made the foolish decision to drive and then lost control of the vehicle.
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"Mr Muradi has been in the UK since 2008 and worked ever since then in a shop at King Street.
"He was in fact commended last year for his bravery; he saved 30 people in the building next door after a serious fire.
"He roused them when the alarm wasn't working and managed to get them all out - so he is a public spirited person.
"He's looking for work at the moment having been made redundant a month ago."
Sally Kemp, Chair of the Magistrates, told the defendant: "We would like to extend our gratitude - you're an upstanding member of the community and you did save those people.
"That should be recognised and we thank you for doing that.
"But you have had a very big error of judgement here."
The Chair told him that for all of his heroic efforts in saving people from the fire, he could just as easily have caused tragedy by his actions on October 28.
Muradi received a fine of £120 and must pay £85 costs, as well as a £48 victim surcharge.
He was banned from driving for 17 months.
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