Drunk driver was six times over the limit

Sales rep had can of Dragon Soop in BMW cup holder

A sales rep spotted swerving all over the road was found to be SIX times the legal limit.

Steaming drunk Simon Mullaney, 34, even had a can of super strength Dragon Soop in the cup-holder of his white BMW 316 when he was pulled over by cops.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard a worried witness reported the medical sales rep’s chaotic driving when he clocked Mullaney on June 6, at the town’s Gallow Green Road.

Fiscal depute Colin Wilson said: “At around 3.40pm on the day in question a witness was driving near to the locus when he observed the accused to be driving very slowly.

“The accused was swerving all over the road. He was erratically driving and braking at random times.

“He saw the vehicle hitting the kerbside and phoned police to report the matter.

“Police attended the locus and noticed the vehicle was stuck in the middle of traffic.

“They observed the accused. He was sitting in the driver’s seat. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

“His eyes was glazed. There was a strong smell of alcohol coming from him.

“Police noted a can of Dragon Soop, a beverage of eight per cent alcohol by volume, was in the cupholder of the vehicle.”

Cops gave Mullaney, of Kirklands, Renfrew, a breath test which he promptly failed.

He was arrested and taken into custody at Greenock Police Station.

The married medical sales, who has since lost his job, yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while having consumed so much alcohol the proportion in his breath was 132 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Defence agent James Arrol said: “He was employed as a medical sales territory manager. That employment will be lost as a result of his conviction.

“His job required him to be up and down the country.

“This will have a significant impact on him, his wife and their young son.

“This is clearly a very serious matter and he understands that.”

The lawyer urged the court to show the first offender mercy, given that he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has sought help from his doctor in tackling his problem with depression.

Sheri f f Susan Si n c l a i r concurred with the lawyer and fined Mullaney £800, payable at £100 a month.

She also banned him from driving for two years to reflect the severity of the “high reading” recording his state of intoxication.