A US Air Force serviceman caught drink-driving at more than three times the legal limit on Boxing Day has been banned from the road for two years.

Reece Edmonds, 31, who is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, appeared at Suffolk Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to drink-driving following the incident on December 26.

The court heard how Edmonds was driving a silver Honda Civic on the A1101 in Mildenhall around 8.20pm on Boxing Day having been off the airbase celebrating Christmas with friends.

A Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer was behind Edmonds and described him as driving "erratically" near the airbase and at times was swerving along the road.

After stopping Edmonds, the police officer noticed his speech was slurred and believed him to under the influence of alcohol.

Edmonds failed a roadside breath test and at the police station subsequently blew 111 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35mcg in 100ml of breath.

The court heard Edmonds was co-operative with the police both at the roadside and at the station.

Edmonds was supported in court by members of the United States Air Force.

Andrew Cleal, defending, said US Air Force engineer Edmonds was due to return to the USA in six months following the end of his stint in England.

He said: "He had been celebrating Christmas at a friend's house off base a mile away.

"He got into the vehicle and thought he was okay but he quickly realised he was not okay.

"He was in the process of trying to find somewhere to turn round so he could get a friend to take him home when he was stopped.

"He finishes his tour in six months and plans to return to the United States.

"He is a man of good character with no previous convictions in the UK."

District Judge Julie Cooper banned Edmonds from driving for two years.

He was also given a six-month community order, with 75 hours of unpaid work.

Edmonds must also pay £85 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, RAF Mildenhall primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations and is currently home to the USAF's 100th Air Refueling Wing.