A soldier banned for drink driving may not be able to be deployed to Europe as part of the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Lance Corporal Owain Parsons, 23, was found to be more than twice the limit after crashing his car not far from the army base at Swanton Morley in the early hours.
Norwich Magistrates Court heard being disqualified from driving could affect his career and could mean he will no longer be able to serve with the operation to increase the British Army presence in eastern Europe.
Lieutenant Troop Leader Logan said Lance Corporal Owain Parsons drink driving ban meant he might not be deployed to eastern Europe (Image: Newsquest)
READ MORE: Norfolk man five times limit jailed for THIRD drink driving
Prosecutor Sally Harris said after a night out he had called emergency services after his VW Golf left the road and ended up in a field on Swanton Road just after 3am on July 13.
Police who breath tested him saw him record 77mg - more than double the legal limit of 35mg.
The gunner who serves in the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, having been in the army for four years, pleaded guilty to drink driving.
Lance Corporal Owain Parsons was twice the drink drive limit when he crashed near the barracks at Swanton Morley (Image: Newsquest)
David Foulks, mitigating, said: “He wins the award for honesty in calling the emergency services when no one else was involved in the incident and otherwise no one would have been any the wiser.”
He said he had “behaved in an uncharacteristic way” and the consequences for him would be “severe” including demotion in rank.
READ MORE: Norwich disqualified driver caught FIVE times over limit
Lance Corporal Owain Parsons is a gunner with the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards (Image: MOD)
Senior officer Lieutenant Troop Leader Logan, who gave evidence in his defence, said: “He has a very promising career and has been promoted quicker than the average soldier. This is very uncharacteristic and does not represent his conduct in his army career.”
She said his role required driving and operating weapons systems so being banned would affect his deployments.
He is also facing military sanctions, she added.
Magistrates banned him from driving for 17 months and ordered he pay fines and costs totalling £783.
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