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‘Alfie Atkins’ secret friend drove my car’

A suspected drink driver who successfully argued to a Swedish court that a 1.25 metre long-haired Norwegian going by the name of Alfie Atkins' secret friend, was actually driving, is suing the state for loss of income.

The man, who is now 23-years-old is seeking damages of 123,520 kronor ($15,221) for the loss of income he suffered over the six month period when his driving licence was confiscated, according to media reports.

The man was pulled over by police in the summer of 2006. When police approached the vehicle the man was standing on the passenger side of the car while the driver’s door was wide open.

In a police interview the man is reported to have claimed that “Molgan” (Mållgan), known to Swedish children as the secret friend of Gunilla Bergström’s character Alfons Åberg (Alfie Atkins in the English translation), had already fled the scene.

The then 21-year-old described Molgan as 120-130 centimetres tall, with hair down to his knees, clad in white trousers, and that he spoke Swedish with a Norwegian accent.

The 21-year-old was found to be well over the alcohol limit. Police charged the man with drink driving and confiscated his driving licence.

The charges were however thrown out by a Värmland district court in January 2007 although the court expressed reservations over the feasibility of the man’s story.