Soldier in drink drive shame
A SOLDIER is today banned from the roads after he was caught driving while twice the drink drive limit.
A SOLDIER is today banned from the roads after he was caught driving while twice the drink drive limit.
Christopher Parsons, who drives HGVs and maintains them for the army at the Rock Barracks at Woodbridge admitted driving while over the limit and was given a 20-month disqualification at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court.
The court heard on Tuesday how Parsons, who lives at Rock Barracks and has been with armed forces for two and a half years, had been drinking with friends in Ipswich the previous night on October 27.
When he woke up the next day at about 5am, he decided to head out to buy some cigarettes from a service station.
It was as the 20-year-old was driving his Vauxhall Corsa along the A12 that he was spotted by police.
Prosecuting David Hutson said: “The defendant's car was initially spotted going quite fast.
Most Read
- 1 Man found unconscious in Ipswich alleyway following serious assault
- 2 Omid Djalili cracks Ipswich joke at Queen's Platinum Jubilee show
- 3 Brother of Ipswich murder victim to roll out bleed control kits across town
- 4 Charity match held in memory of Tavis Spencer-Aitkens
- 5 Striking new seafront café opens its doors to customers after two-year wait
- 6 Suffolk woman and her three dogs die in London crash
- 7 Ford Transit van destroyed in suspected arson attack
- 8 OPINION: Back to business - these are the council's plans for Ipswich
- 9 Meet John Cook the next mayor of Ipswich – and a Norwich City supporter
- 10 £1million house with extensive grounds up for sale near Christchurch Park
“Officers followed the car and noticed it swerved and narrowly missed a slow moving moped. Officers stopped the vehicle and he failed the road side breath test.”
It was discovered that he had 71mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Mitigating Ian Duckworth said: “He is clearly well thought of. [This offence] will have an effect on his career.
“It is going to be a double jeopardy.”
Magistrate Bernard Hindesoffered him a drink drivers rehabilitation course which will reduce his ban by five months. He was also fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £43 and a victim surcharge of £15.