A POLICEMAN who crashed his car into a wall after spending an evening drinking while watching England s World Cup clash with Trinidad & Tobago has been suspended. Edward Holley, 25, of Shelton Road, Raunds, was found to be more than twice the legal drink-

A POLICEMAN who crashed his car into a wall after spending an evening drinking while watching England's World Cup clash with Trinidad & Tobago has been suspended.

Edward Holley, 25, of Shelton Road, Raunds, was found to be more than twice the legal drink-drive limit when he crashed his Honda Civic in Tilbrook at 4.15am on Friday, June 16.

Holley, who had been with Northamptonshire Police for a year, had 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when he crashed his car on the B645 in Tilbrook High Street. The legal limit for driving is 35 micrograms.

At Huntingdonshire Magistrates' Court on Wednesday he admitted driving with excess alcohol.

Defending Holley, Mark Nicholls said: "He blames the crash on the extremely high percentage rum he was given at his friend's house while they watched the England match and enjoyed a barbecue. At the time he did not realise how strong it was."

The court heard how Holley, who was said to have an unblemished record, was supposed to be staying at his friend's house. However, he was asked to leave after a falling out.

He then went to his car and fell asleep. The court was told Holley woke up at 4am and, thinking it was much later than it actually was, decided to drive to Kimbolton where he knew he had to work later that day.

As he was driving through Tilbrook, Holley said he had to quickly turn his car to avoid hitting an animal in the road. His car hit a tree on the south side of the road and then a wall and a 4x4 on the opposite side of the street.

Mr Nicholls asked magistrates to consider a ban of less than 12 months, saying it would allow Holley to keep his job. A longer ban, he said, would mean Holley could lose his job.

Bench chairman Derek Rutherford said: "You (Holley) were quite above the limit, which you should have realised as you are a policeman. I recommend you do a drink-driving course so that you know how long it takes for alcohol to leave the bloodstream."

Holley, who has just purchased a property in Tilbrook with his partner, was given a 20-month driving ban, which will be reduced by five months on completion of a drink-drive rehabilitation course. He was also ordered to pay a fine of £200 and court costs of £50.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: "Edward Holley has been suspended from Northamptonshire Police Force pending an internal disciplinary hearing by the Police Standards Department.