A soldier has lost his licence after drink driving and would probably be losing his liberty as well the day after, a court heard.

Burnley Magistrates were told how Anthony Fitzpatrick, 21, was absent without leave from the King's Royal Hussars and was facing a court martial.

He was likely to be sent to custody for six months.

Fitzpatrick, who was accompanied by his troop commander, admitted driving with excess alcohol and no insurance.

The defendent, of Clifford Street, Colne, who has a previous drink driving convictio, was fined £250 and banned for three years.

The bench made no order for costs.

Sue Campbell, prosecuting, told the court police in Nelson stopped Fitzpatrick's car in Colne at about 6.30pm on January 21, due to the manner and speed of his driving.

He was asked to park up, narrowly missed a vehicle in front of him and stalled his car. An officer went over to the defendant's driver's door and he had his head in his hands. From then on he fully co-operated with police.

Mrs Campbell said a breath test revealed 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35. Fitzpatrick, who had been banned for 16 months for excess alcohol in 2004, told officers he had had four or five pints of lager.

Graeme Tindall, defending, said Fitzpatrick was full and frank about what he had drunk.

when he was stopped by police.

He had been at his girlfriend's house and he ended up very upset. The defendant went and sat in his car to give himself some space but stupidly took the decision to drive home.

Mr Tindall said Fitzpatrick had been AWOL for about 18 months and faced a court martial the day after.

The solicitor went on:" He is going to have no income and is going to be discharged from the Army. He faces the very real prospect of going into custody tomorrow as that is the usual sentence that is imposed."