A model who claimed she had an affair with Rangers legend Nacho Novo has failed in a bid to have her drink-driving ban slashed.

Sharon Maxwell was banned from the roads for five years in 2015 after she was caught behind the wheel in Paisley while five times the drink-drive limit.

She was found to have 104 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath – when the legal limit is just 22 – after sinking drinks in the town’s Burgh Bar in February 2015.

Maxwell told Paisley Sheriff Court she had got behind the wheel while under the influence to flee a violent ex-boyfriend.

She said she spotted him driving past as she waited for a taxi outside the Burgh Bar and feared he would “beat the crap” out of her.

In November 2015, after hearing that Maxwell was previously banned for 18 months for drink-driving in 2010, Sheriff David Pender placed her on a Community Payback Order, giving her nine months to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

He told her: “I’m going to deal with this by imposing a lengthy period of disqualification to reflect the very high reading.

“You will be disqualified from driving for five years in the public interest because of the high reading.”

As well as the five-year driving ban, Sheriff Pender fined her £200 for running a red light and £200 for missing an earlier court date.

Drivers who have been banned from the roads can apply to the courts to have their licence reinstated after they have served half of their punishment, with Maxwell launching a bid to be allowed to drive again ahead of schedule.

When the case called at Paisley Sheriff Court this week, she was due to represent herself and argue her own case as to why she should be allowed to drive again before her ban was due to expire.

However, Sheriff Pender refused her bid – telling her he believed the sentence he imposed on her was just.

He said: “I can’t do anything [about lifting your driving ban] until I get a police report and the police report is not available today.

“I can continue the case to August 20, if you wish me to do so, to obtain the police report.

“I remember this case. I imposed a five-year ban.

“The mandatory period was three years but I imposed five years due to the very high reading.

“This was a bad offence and, in my view, it would be an inadequate period of time if I were to restore your licence today, so I can refuse your application in four or five weeks’ time or I can refuse it today. The police report really isn’t going to make any difference.”

Maxwell then told Sheriff Pender to refuse it and asked if she would be able to apply to have the licence restored again in the future.

He replied: “There is a provision where you can apply again after a certain period of time.

“If you take legal advice, you’ll be told what that period is.”

Maxwell, of Beith, North Ayrshire, hit the headlines when she claimed to have swapped raunchy texts with former Rangers striker Novo and met him for sex at a Lanarkshire park.

She said they were interrupted by a dog walker and his Jack Russell at the notorious sex hotspot in Strathclyde Park.

Maxwell claimed the Spanish forward bombarded her with saucy texts and sent her an image of his private parts.

Novo wed long-term partner Donna Clark in 2015 and she later rubbished Maxwell’s claims about the affair.