DRINK driver Steven Carroll was involved in a fatal accident yet still drank and drove, the Evening Star can reveal today.Furious drink-drive campaigners today branded the 26-year-old "ignorant and irresponsible" after he was involved in a horror accident in which a 29-year-old man died yet, two and a half years later, still got behind the wheel of a car when more than twice over the drink drive limit.

DRINK driver Steven Carroll was involved in a fatal accident yet still drank and drove, the Evening Star can reveal today.

Furious drink-drive campaigners today branded the 26-year-old "ignorant and irresponsible" after he was involved in a horror accident in which a 29-year-old man died yet, two and a half years later, still got behind the wheel of a car when more than twice over the drink drive limit.

In the most recent incident on December 21 last year, Carroll was sniffed out by a police dog as he tried to evade capture by hiding among bushes.

Although no blame was apportioned to Steven Carroll for the accident in April 2000 in which a Suffolk-based soldier lost his life, the experience clearly did not stop him from getting behind the wheel drunk.

The Campaign Against Drink Drivers (CADD) condemned Carroll's actions as irresponsible and beyond all belief.

Mike Jobbins, chairman of the CADD, said: "I am amazed that this person, who was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of someone, had the ignorance and arrogance to get in a car when he was more than twice over the legal limit.

"Some people who are involved in accidents which results in the death of someone never drive again. But this man knowingly got behind the wheel while drunk and that is totally irresponsible."

Mr Jobbins added: "At CADD we campaign against drink driving the same as the government does but figures released over the Christmas period show that people are continuing to ignore every message which is sent out.

"The police are saying that the figures this year are down because there have been fewer serious accidents and deaths, but that doesn't detract from the fact that in some areas figures are up as high as 80%. That's a huge rise in drivers giving positive breath tests - the message is clearly not getting through.

"The judicial system has to take part of the blame for handing out petty sentences for such serious offences.

"Everyone who gets behind the wheel drunk is a potential killer.

"Every year more than 95,000 people in England and Wales are prosecuted for drink driving - and they are just the tip of the iceberg."

Carroll, of Cobbold Road, Woodbridge pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and driving without insurance at South East Suffolk Magistrates on January 2.

A breath test showed that Carroll had 93 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The 26-year-old was disqualified for driving for 12 months. He was given a 100 hour community punishment order, offered a 24-month drink-driving rehabilitation course and ordered to pay £45 court costs and £1,000 compensation to the owner of the damaged brick wall.

On April 9, 2000, Carroll, was involved in a fatal road crash which resulted in the death of motorcyclist Peter Jones.

At the inquest into the death of 29-year-old Peter Jones, who was a married avionics technician with 7 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers based at Wattisham Airfield, Carroll told the court he had had several near misses before and after the accident.

However, no blame was apportioned at Carroll for the crash.

The family of Mr Carroll have declined to comment.

Mr Jones' family from Mold, north Wales, were unavailable for comment.