A BOOZED up hoaxer sparked an emergency search of the Clyde by the coastguard after making a fake 999 call about a dinghy being in 'distress'.

Jordan McAllister has no explanation for his 'stupid' behaviour because he was so drunk that he can't remember it, Greenock Sheriff Court was told.

McAllister, 21, finally pleaded guilty to the offence — committed more than two years ago — on the day he was due to stand trial on Monday.

He is now facing a potential jail sentence after Sheriff Linda Smith warned him: "I take a very serious view of this matter."

Prosecutor Jason Stark told the court how McAllister, of Cathcart Street, made the hoax call at around 6pm on January 15 in 2020.

The fiscal depute said: "The [coastguard] witness has responsibility for any emergency on the Clyde.

"At 6.08pm his personal on-call mobile phone began to ring with a call from HM Coastguard operations in Belfast.

"The witness was informed that a 999 call had been made regarding a dinghy adrift one mile off the Tail o' The Bank.

"He and a coastguard team conducted a search and no dinghy was found to be in distress."

The court was told that it wasn't until the following month before McAllister was traced and identified as the hoaxer.

He then went voluntarily to Greenock police office on February 4 and gave a 'no comment' interview to officers.

The total cost of the coastguard search has been put at £700.

Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher said: "It is not an excuse but Mr McAllister was highly intoxicated at the time.

"He has very limited recollection and is simply unable to explain why he behaved in this stupid and almost reckless manner.

"The emergency services are stretched at the best of times without this needless behaviour."

Mr Gallagher added: "In sobriety he is very apologetic indeed.

"At the time of the offence he had only one previous conviction."

Sheriff Smith has deferred sentence on McAllister until July 6 for a background report and electronic tagging assessment to be prepared.