A drink driving soldier crashed his car into the back of another vehicle en-route to McDonald’s in Amesbury, Swindon Magistrates’ Court heard.
Harry Taylor, 20, was driving his Land Rover when he rear-ended a car on the Countess Roundabout at around 10.45pm on 27 December last year, prosecutor Keith Ballinger said.
The defendant, of Merrifield Road, Ford, got out and spoke with the male driver of the other vehicle. When the driver noticed alcohol on Taylor’s breath, he called 999.
Police officers attended the scene and asked him to sample of breath at the roadside. Blowing a positive result, he was arrested and taken to custody after a precautional visit to hospital.
On an evidential breathalyser, Taylor blew a reading of 78 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Defending, Tony Nowogrodzki said his client is “very remorseful”.
The vehicle in front of him came to a sudden stop and he couldn’t avoid a collision, he told the court.
Adding that Taylor is a serving soldier in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers corps, and earns a trade pay by working as a forklift driver. As a result of his conviction, he will no longer be able to drive on the base and will lose that additional income.
The court heard he will also face disciplinary action by the army, however, he is unikely to be dismissed.
Magistrates praised Taylor for doing a “worthwhile job and a public service”, before disqualifying him from driving for 16 months.
He was also fined £250, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
