An assistant racehorse trainer at one of Newmarket’s biggest yards has become the first drink-driver to be banned during Suffolk police’s Christmas crackdown.

Oliver Costello, of Moulton Paddocks, Moulton, near Newmarket, was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he was caught in the early hours of December 1.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before West Suffolk Magistrates Court in Bury St Edmunds.

Costello was caught after he was seen by a CCTV operator 20 miles away leaving a pub in Newmarket.

The operator based in Bury St Edmunds notified police he had seen the assistant trainer coming out of The Yard Pub in Grovesnor Yard.

Costello was said to have stumbled while walking towards a vehicle.

He then reported to have got into an Audi A1 and drove along Newmarket’s High Street towards Bury Road.

The Audi was seen by police at a BP Garage. It then drove on to Bury Road heading towards Bury St Edmunds before it was stopped.

Costello was arrested at 1.15am and taken to the police investigation centre at Bury St Edmunds where a breath test showed he had 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

He was then released on bail until his court hearing.

Costello, an assistant trainer for Godolphin, was disqualified from driving for 20 months. In addition to his ban he was fined £645 and ordered to pay court costs of £85.

He must also pay £64 to the victims’ fund and a £150 criminal courts charge.