A SOLDIER in the British Army was over the drink-drive limit when he drove to a late night petrol station to get medicine for his young child, heard magistrates.

Joe Saggers, 29, of Glusburn, had walked to a nearby pub with his partner and daughter during the day on February 6 this year for a family celebration and had drunk five or six pints, the court heard on Friday.

He had gone to bed early and had been woken at midnight by his daughter, who was teething at the time, and had made the 'foolish' decision to drive half a mile in his BMW to a petrol station in Station Road, Cross Hills, to buy Calpol to help calm her, the court heard.

Police, alerted by the manner of his driving, spoke to him at the petrol station and following a positive roadside test he was arrested and taken to the police station where he was found to have 87 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Saggers, who admitted drink driving and was of previous good character, had been in the army for eight years and had progressed to being a Lance Bombadier.

As a result of his conviction he would be stripped of his rank and being unable to drive would have to return to live in barracks in Ripon, the court heard.

In mitigation, Siobhan White said Saggers had hoped to have shortly been promoted to the rank of Bombadier. During his time in the Army, he had been stationed in Germany, Cyprus and Canada. He believed he was fine to drive, she said.

As a result of his conviction, he would have to start again with his Army career and have to try and work back up to where he was, she said. He would also have to return to live in the barracks in Ripon, and leave his family in Glusburn, because he would not be able to commute, as he had previously been doing.

Miss White said:"It was utterly foolish to drive, he still has his job, but the impact is huge.

"There will be a significant impact on his career and his family, he is extremely contrite."

Magistrates told Saggers, of Jackson Row, that whatever penalty they imposed the punishment from the army was likely to be more serious.

He was banned from driving for 17 months and fined £538 with costs of £85 and a surcharge of £54. If he completes a drink driver rehabilitation course, his ban will be reduced by 17 weeks.