Mansfield soldier demoted after drink drive conviction

A boozy soldier who was stopped by police in Mansfield faces a demotion and a big pay cut, a court has heard.
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Daniel Shannon was stopped on Rock Hill, in the early hours of October 2, after police officers saw his car driving without lights and “swaying from side to side”.

A test revealed he had 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

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The court heard he had been in the army for 14 years and is based at Catterick barracks.

Shannon, 35, of Ladybrook Lane, Mansfield, admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

Harry Bevan, mitigating, said: “There is a double whammy here for him. Action will be taken against him when he returns to base.”

He said Shannon had slept at a friend’s house after a day-time drinking session, but awoke at 3am and decided to go home because he wanted to take his poorly father’s car for an MOT.

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He discovered his pal had left keys in his car and was returning them when he was stopped.

Shannon’s superior officer confirmed that on his return to base he will be demoted to lance corporal, as a minimum, and receive a £3,500 annual wage cut.

Shannon, who has no previous convictions, was fined £438, and was ordered to pay a £43 government tax and £85 costs.

He was banned for 17 months. He was offered a drink drive rehabilitation course which will reduce the disqualification by 129 days if completed by September 2018.

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