A TIDWORTH soldier wasted a hospital's time and money by pretending to be unconscious when he was arrested.

Concerned medics ordered a CT scan for 23-year-old Lewis Cutmore after he was picked up by police for being drunk and disorderly in January.

He later admitted he had been pretending to be unconscious to avoid getting into further trouble.

Salisbury magistrates heard yesterday that Cutmore, based at Tidworth's Lucknow Barracks, had been drinking in the Ram Inn on January 14.

Door staff had restrained him on the floor for being drunk and disorderly and police were called.

When officers arrived he was being abusive, repeatedly shouting and swearing and accusing the security staff of "smashing his f*****g head on the floor".

He did have a small cut on the top of his head, the court heard.

He asked the officers "are you f***ing proud of the uniform you wear?" before calling one a "fat b*****d" and the other "just a b******d". 

Police noted he appeared to be feigning unconsciousness so called an ambulance.

He was taken to hospital where he received the scan, before admitting he he had been pretending.

Cutmore had previous convictions for theft, assault and driving offences in New Zealand, the court heard.

Defending, Richard Griffiths said Cutmore accepted he had had too much to drink and wished to apologise.

Mr Griffiths said door staff had bashed Cutmore's head on the ground and that he had been "somewhat upset" by their treatment of him.

Lieutenant Lewis Lee of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers said Cutmore was a "quiet yet confident soldier" who had expressed the "the utmost remorse for his actions".

Magistrate David Morrell said his behaviour was "not good. Not good at all."

"As a representative of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, you should have known better," he said.

Given full credit for his early guilty plea, Cutmore was fined £183 with £85 costs and a £30 charge to fund victim services.