A JOHNSTONE bus driver has been banned from the roads after he was caught behind the wheel while more than five times the legal alcohol limit.

Boozed-up Douglas Carruthers, 65, was nabbed by cops as he drove a brown Vauxhall Corsa in Renfrew Road, Paisley, on Sunday.

He was detained amid suspicion of driving while under the influence.

And, when he was taken to a police station, he blew a reading of 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than five times the 22mcg limit.

Carruthers, of Larch Place, was held in police custody overnight before appearing in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday afternoon, where he was represented by defence solicitor Eamonn McGeehan.

Mr McGeehan told Sheriff Lindsey Kooner that Carruthers was pleading guilty to the single charge against him, brought under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The lawyer, a partner in legal firm McGeehan and Company, added: “I understand from speaking to Mr Carruthers that he works as a bus driver and that there may be an issue with alcohol.

“I have advised him you may wish to call for a [background] report.”

The court was not told which company Carruthers, who has previous convictions for assault, domestic assault, other domestic abuse offences and other road traffic offences, works for.

Sheriff Kooner called for a background report to be prepared by social workers ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case until next month.

As she did so, she told Carruthers: “In view of the nature of the charge and the [alcohol] reading and the previous convictions, but particularly the level of alcohol, I’m going to defer sentence.”

Sheriff Kooner also told Carruthers he was banned from driving on an interim basis and the exact length of his ban will be decided when he returns to the dock next month to learn his fate.

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