A SOLDIER whose New Year celebrations ended in arrest after a car crash was spared a driving ban yesterday.

Craig Haswell, a driver with 38 Engineer Regiment at Claro Barracks, Ripon, who is currently based in Germany before a tour of duty in Bosnia, appeared before Harrogate magistrates to plead guilty to being in charge of a car while over the legal drink-drive limit.

Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, said Haswell, 20, of Greenholme Close, Langthorpe, Boroughbridge, was found at the wheel of a crashed Renault Laguna in Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, early on New Year's Day.

The car, with both front tyres deflated and other substantial damage, was on a grass verge.

Tests showed Haswell was more than twice the legal alcohol limit.

Peter Olley, mitigating, said Haswell, who drove heavy military vehicles, would lose his job if he was banned. Even though he would legally be allowed to drive in Germany and Bosnia, the Army would not permit it.

He said Haswell had not planned to drive, but a friend crashed the car and he got behind the wheel to steer while his friend pushed the car 100 metres down the road to a breaker's yard.

Haswell was fined £100 with £50 costs and given ten penalty points. He also admitted permitting driving without insurance and a further £150 fine was imposed.

The man who had been driving until the crash, Andrew Harland, 21, of Cedar Close, Ripon, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and not having insurance and was fined a total of £350 with £50 costs and banned for 16 months.

Tests showed he was nearly twice the drink-drive limit but he told the court he could remember nothing of what happened after leaving the pub and going for petrol before hitting a corner and a grass verge.