A SOLDIER who crashed his car into a parked vehicle while drunk was banned from driving for 28 months yesterday.

Lance Corporal John Armstrong, 23, of Bourlon Barracks, Catterick Garrison, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving without insurance, at Northallerton Magistrates' Court.

The court was told that Armstrong had been on a night out with friends in Richmond on May 12 and decided to drive back to his barracks.

His Volkswagen Golf GTi collided with a parked vehicle in Hudswell Lane shortly before midnight.

Armstrong was found to have almost three times the legal alcohol limit in his breath.

He was banned from driving for 28 months, fined a total of £600 and ordered to pay £50 court costs.