Boozed-up driver was seven times over limit

Driver nabbed after tip-off to police

A boozy motorist was seven times the drink- drive limit when busted by the cops.

Alan Magrath, 41, was reeking of booze when he was found with two empty wine bottles in his silver MG3 hatchback after police pulled him over in the town.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard cops had received reports about a motorist driving under the influence when they traced the accused at the wheel of his vehicle in Gallowhill on June 15.

Officers who flagged him down immediately noticed the strong smell of alcohol coming off the drunk driver, whose eyes were glazed, and he appeared to be slurring his speech.

Fiscal depute Pamela Flynn told the court: “Police officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming off the accused when they spoke to him.

“They discovered two empty wine bottles in his car.

“There was an empty wine bottle in the driver’s footwell and another empty wine bottle in the passenger’s footwell.

“He was slurring his words. His eyes were glazed.

“Officers arrested him and took him to the police station for processing in the usual manner and samples of breath were taken.

“These tests proved positive for driving with more than the proscribed level of alcohol on his breath and the accused was cautioned and charged, however, he made no reply.”

Magrath, of the town’s Gareloch Avenue, appeared at court this week, where he pleaded guilty to driving in St Margaret’s Court and Renfrew Road, Paisley, after consuming so much alcohol the proportion in his breath was 154 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath, when the proscribed limit is 22mcg.

Defence agent Lindsay Gaughan told the court her client was undergoing treatment for his “significant alcohol problems” at Dykebar Hospital, and that up-todate reports would be needed to proceed.

Sheriff Vincent Canavan remarked that Magrath had been driving with a “high reading” and he would be banned from the road immediately while the courts obtained background reports in preparation for sentencing.

Magrath, who was released on bail, will discover his fate when appears for sentence next month.