A Belgian man has been acquitted of drunk driving after it was proven he suffers from a rare condition causing him to brew alcohol internally, according to ABC News.
The 40-year-old — who ironically works at a brewery — had his charges dropped on Monday after his Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS) diagnosis cleared him of wrongdoing.
Causing carbohydrates in his stomach to be fermented, the obscure ailment increases ethanol levels in the sufferer’s blood and results in signs of intoxication.
When pulled over in April 2022, the man’s registered breathalyser reading of 0.91 milligrams per litre required him to appear in court.
A month later, the man was again stopped by police and registered a reading of 0.71 milligrams per litre — both instances exceeding Belgium’s legal limit of 0.22.
The brewery worker had also received a fine and had his licence suspended in 2019 despite denying he had been drinking.
Belgian media reported that the judge highlighted the defendant did not experience symptoms of intoxication.
Prior to his most recent brush with police, he was not aware of his bizarre condition.
Anse Ghesquiere, the man’s lawyer, said three doctors independently examined him to confirm the illness — which has only been used to diagnose 20 people globally.
Since his diagnosis, the brewery worker is said to be following a carbohydrate-light diet to negate his stomach’s production of alcohol.