GAZETTE & HERALD: AN airman based at RAF Lyneham pleaded guilty to drink driving at more than three times above the legal limit last week.

Chippenham magistrates heard Michael Langford, 23,who is based at RAF Lyneham, crashed his car into a lamppost after drinking all evening.

Stacey Turner, prosecuting, said no other vehicles were involved in the accident at Bremhill, near Calne, on April 21.

Langford's breath read 106mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Tim Hammick, defending, said Langford is well thought of in the services. His punishment wouldn't stop in court because he would now not be liable for any promotions in the RAF for the next six months.

"He had gone out and was not intending to drive home," Mr Hammick said.

He said that Langford had planned to go back with a friend but the friend had not turned up.

He said: "Mr Langford had more than enough to drink for any person but for a driver it was a ridiculous amount.

"He has no explanation. It was a question of luck rather than

anything else.

"He is whole-heartedly ashamed and he appears to be contrite."

Flight Lt Liam Butterworth said the front line engineer was diligent and attentive and he had been impressed by his attitude when he joined the RAF in 2002.

"It's an embarrassing blow to the airman," he said.

The chair of the magistrates, Jennifer Swift, said the amount Langford drank was "excessive" and community punishment would be appropriate.

Langford was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community to be completed in the next 12 months.

He was banned from driving for 30 months and ordered to pay costs of £34.