AN aspiring Royal Marine's dreams are in tatters today after he was caught drink-driving in Ipswich.Jonathan Sciortino, 20, of Freehold Road in Ipswich, drove his red BMW erratically after a night out in the town and was spotted by police.

AN aspiring Royal Marine's dreams are in tatters today after he was caught drink-driving in Ipswich.

Jonathan Sciortino, 20, of Freehold Road in Ipswich, drove his red BMW erratically after a night out in the town and was spotted by police.

Sciortino was breathalysed and found to have 52mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

His crime means his dream of joining the Marines this year is over, and he will have to wait at least five years before he is eligible to reapply.

Claire Forsdike, prosecuting, told South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court: “On September 12 at about 12.15am the defendant was seen to be driving in an erratic manner out of the car park at Cardinal Park.

“Officers stopped him in Duke Street, they said that they could smell alcohol on his breath.”

Sciortino, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, said: “I was unaware of what alcohol I was drinking at the time. I thought it was a 4per cent beer, actually I was drinking an 8.5pc beer.”

He said he was not currently working as he had given up his job to join the Marines, but added he was now looking for work again.

Magistrates banned him from driving for 12 months, fined him £100, and ordered him to pay costs of £80 and a £15 victim surcharge.

Does more need to be done to keep drink-drivers off Suffolk's roads? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.