'Drunk as a lord' aristocrat gets second drink-drive ban

Young aristocrat who boasts about his binge-drinking habits on the internet has been banned from the roads after being caught drink-driving - for the second time.

Viscount Thomas Stafford St Cyres, 24, has posted dozens of pictures of himself on social networking sites with captions including "Drunk as a lord".

St Cyres, the only son and heir of the 5th Earl of Iddesleigh, is seen on his Bebo page downing lager, wine and champagne in numerous photographs.

He calls his social networking site "Self-indulgence is not a crime", talks about "debauchery" and adds: "Still drinking too much gin, but then again what's new?"

To caption another image, in which he is seen wearing a brightly striped jacket and holding a pint of lager, he writes: "Lovely blazer shame about the chap wearing it!"

Classics graduate St Cyres, heir to a 2,500-acre estate, has now been caught drink-driving for a second time. During his most recent exploit he was pulled over by police while driving home after a night at a bar in Exeter.

He was stopped while in a blue VW Polo by officers carrying out routine speed checks in September.

They issued him a fixed penalty notice for speeding and arrested him after he failed a breath test, Exeter magistrates heard.

St Cyres said he had drunk two pints of beer but was unable to give a blood sample. A urine test produced a reading of 137mg of alcohol in 100ml of urine - 30mg over the legal limit.

He was banned from driving for three years - his second disqualification.

The court heard he had a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2006 and is currently unemployed and living at the family's Hayne mansion in Newton St Cyres.

John Smith, representing the viscount, said his client was on the national panel of rugby referees, which was an "unusually high achievement" for someone so young.