AN incident in which a civilian took a tank - and went on to flatten a squaddie's car in a drunken joyride filmed by a friend - was not a "rarity", it was claimed yesterday..

Jack Carroll, 22, admitted taking a 25-ton Warrior Armoured Vehicle without consent at Catterick Garrison's Bourlon Barracks, in North Yorkshire, between July 28 and August 21 last year.

Carroll was staying there with his friend for about five weeks before the incident, following a family row.

The friend, a soldier with the 2nd Duke of Lancaster Regiment from Merseyside, filmed his escapades on his mobile and posted it on YouTube where it was spotted by Army officials.

Jane Scott, mitigating, told the court it was "not uncommon" for soldiers to allow their friends to drive military vehicles on Army bases.

But this claim was denied by the Ministry of Defence.

Ms Scott said Carroll had told her that during his stay, hangars were left open and tanks and armoured vehicles, though not armed, were not immobilised. She said Carroll did not need a key but simply pressed a button.

She said: "From subsequent publicity, the military has accepted that this is not uncommon. I'm not saying its common but its not the first time this has happened, where young personnel have allowed friends to come in and have a drive about, but not on a public road. The Army has conceded that this is not a rarity."

But speaking after the case a spokesman from the MoD said: "This seems like a very, very unusual event and we are not aware of any other such incident. However, whenever incidents of wrongdoing are committed on forces' bases they are investigated and dealt with."

David Tucker, prosecuting, told the court that the pair had been drinking with other soldiers before Carroll clambered aboard the vehicle and fired it up.

The film shows the vehicle driving around and approaching a white Vauxhall. It then smashes into the car and rolls over the top, squashing it flat.

The squaddie filming the incident can be heard laughing and shouting instructions to Carroll.

Mr Tucker said: "The recording ends with a picture of the driver in the driver's seat looking out, quite plainly gleeful at what he has just done.

"Maybe the matter was of some glee to the driver, but it was a matter of some concern to the Army."

Carroll, from Dorset Road, Anfield, Merseyside, was discovered on the barracks by Royal Military Police trying to identify who made the video. He was interviewed and initially denied involvement, but was later identified by a Merseyside police officer.

Carroll received a one-year driving ban and was ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £45 prosecution costs.

Afterwards, he told the waiting media: "I have not got a battery in my mobile or I'd film you lot to show my mates."

His mother, Tina, said: "It is lucky he was a good intentioned young lad, not a terrorist who got in that vehicle. I think the Army must bear responsibility too."

To see video footage of the incident visit http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/audiovideo/news/ index.var.989.b.0.php