A SERVING soldier from Barnoldswick has been banned from driving for a year after admitting being over the drink drive limit.

Mason Naylor, 19, had driven into a parked car in Church Road, Thornton-in-Craven, on December 21 and was reported to police, heard Skipton Magistrates' Court.

When officers arrived, they found Naylor and firefighters at the scene, the court was told.

He admitted to police he had been driving, a road side test was positive and he was taken to the police station where he was found to have 73 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

He told police he had been to a pub where he had drunk four or five pints on an empty stomach, and had walked home at the end of the evening.

He had then got into his car and had driven for about five minutes before colliding with a stationary vehicle, not knowing how he had done it.

Naylor, of previous good character, who admitted drink driving, and who was accompanied in court by his platoon commander, had been in the army since he was 16 years old, the court heard.

In mitigation, Mohammed Hussain said Naylor, who was currently based in Cyprus, would suffer severe consequences as a result of his conviction, including a suspension of his army promotion and a reduction in salary of £3,000 per year. He added Naylor had not tried to blame anyone and was genuinely sorry and remorseful for what he had done.

Magistrates told Naylor they believed he was a very decent young man and that his honesty had been breathtaking. He was banned from driving for a year and fined £350 with costs of £85 and a surcharge of £35. If he completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course, his ban will be reduced by 13 weeks.