A former soldier who has completed two tours of Afghanistan and Iraq “panicked” after drink driving and crashing into a traffic light.

Carl Revy, 28, had been drinking with his partner, her sister and her boyfriend into the early hours of October 10 when he foolishly offered to give his guests a lift home, Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard today.

Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said the defendant of Blackmoorfoot Road, Huddersfield, “misjudged” the junction at Park Road/Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, and collided with the traffic light.

He was unable to restart the vehicle and made off on foot.

A taxi driver alerted police to the incident and Revy was arrested and taken to a police station. He was found to have 66 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, almost double the limit.

Revy pleaded guilty to drink driving and a separate charge of failing to stop after a road accident. Two other minor alleged offences were withdrawn by the Crown.

In mitigation, Ian Whiteley, said: “It’s very sad that Mr Revy appears before the court today. He has served his country for 10 years in the Forces with two tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. He came out of the forces two years ago.

“On the night of this offence he has had friends round to his house. He doesn’t live in a salubrious area and he accepts that he should have got a taxi. He said he felt alright to drive.

“He has written a letter of apology for you to read. He is a level-headed man but panicked on this night. He has been working from April and has a letter from his employer which says if he loses his licence then he loses his job. He has to drive in connection with his employment.”

The bench disqualified him from driving for 17 months but allowed him the option of taking a drink drive rehabilitation course which if successfully completed would reduce its length by 25 per cent.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £631 including a fine of £360 and court costs. Mr Whiteley said he would have to claim benefits and pay it at £5 per week. No separate penalty was imposed for failing to stop after the accident.