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| Ten-pint former footballer banned | Ten-pint former footballer banned |
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| A former Wales and Premiership football player has been given a suspended jail sentence and a ban for drink-driving. | A former Wales and Premiership football player has been given a suspended jail sentence and a ban for drink-driving. |
| Football pundit Malcolm Allen, 41, of Cranefield Drive, Watford, played for Wales, Newcastle, Norwich and Watford. | Football pundit Malcolm Allen, 41, of Cranefield Drive, Watford, played for Wales, Newcastle, Norwich and Watford. |
| He admitted drinking up to 10 pints of beer when stopped by a Police Community Support Officer in Hertfordshire. | He admitted drinking up to 10 pints of beer when stopped by a Police Community Support Officer in Hertfordshire. |
| At Stevenage Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and was given a four-week jail sentence suspended for two years. | At Stevenage Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and was given a four-week jail sentence suspended for two years. |
| He was banned from driving for three years but opted to take a specialist court-appointed driver's course to cut the disqualification period to 27 months. | He was banned from driving for three years but opted to take a specialist court-appointed driver's course to cut the disqualification period to 27 months. |
| Allen must also attend at least six sessions of an alcohol treatment course. | Allen must also attend at least six sessions of an alcohol treatment course. |
| I have been a fool Malcolm Allen | I have been a fool Malcolm Allen |
| Stevenage magistrates were told that he and his passenger were "paralytic". | Stevenage magistrates were told that he and his passenger were "paralytic". |
| Prosecutor Charlotte Rind said both Allen and his passenger were seen coming out of a white van "looking drunk and staggering" after stopping off for a Chinese takeaway on 20 February. | Prosecutor Charlotte Rind said both Allen and his passenger were seen coming out of a white van "looking drunk and staggering" after stopping off for a Chinese takeaway on 20 February. |
| Allen failed a roadside breath test and was found to have 110mg of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when tested at a police station. | Allen failed a roadside breath test and was found to have 110mg of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when tested at a police station. |
| He told officers: "It could have been a lot worse and I'm glad that no-one was hurt. | He told officers: "It could have been a lot worse and I'm glad that no-one was hurt. |
| "I have been a fool. I'm going to possibly lose my job and possibly my media work." | "I have been a fool. I'm going to possibly lose my job and possibly my media work." |
| Allen recalled drinking eight or nine pints on his night out, and told officers it might have been as many as 10. | Allen recalled drinking eight or nine pints on his night out, and told officers it might have been as many as 10. |
| He said he had not expected to drive and thought he would get a train back to Watford, the court heard. | He said he had not expected to drive and thought he would get a train back to Watford, the court heard. |
| Allen, who is originally from Deiniolen, Gwynedd, works as a football pundit. |