SOLDIER Shane Knight was still affected by a recent tour of Afghanistan when he drove while over the alcohol limit and collided with railings in March town centre.

And now Shane Knight - a professional driver for the army -- is facing the prospect of being discharged from the services, Fenland magistrates were told.

Knight had come home on leave, and drank three or four pints of cider in the Griffin Hotel before getting behind the wheel of his car.

“He was worried about leaving his car in the car park,” explained solicitor Roger Glazebrook.

“He hails from March, and from October 2009 to May 2010 he was in Afghanisatn, and thought he had dealt with it quite well.

“But there is no doubt it preoccupied him, he came home for the weekend and drank more than he intended to.

“He was due to be made lance corporal next year, but that will go anyway. He has been told that it is likely, because he is in the infantry as a driver, he will lose his job altogether.”

Prosecuting, Emma Duckett told how CCTV operators had alerted police after seeing Knight driving erratically. He turned from Broad Street into Station Road, and collided with safety railings outside the opticians’s.

Knight and his car were found in the Mill View car park nearby, the car had severe damage to its front; and Knight blamed the accident on an unknown white car coming from the opposite direction. He gave a breath test reading of 60 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath, when the legal limit is 35 mcgs.

Knight told police that he had felt in complete control of his car, and believed alcohol had not affected his driving.

Knight, 23, who gave his address as Royal Anglian Regiment, Purbright Camp, admitted drink driving. He was given a 16-month ban and was fined �250 with �85 costs and a �15 surcharge.

Presiding magistrate Alan Jones said: “It will be a huge shame to lose a promising career; we hope you can keep your job.”