A DRUG driver who was caught nearly EIGHT TIMES the limit for cocaine in Greenock has been spared a prison sentence - after a sheriff described his level of intoxication as 'relatively high'.

Gary McShane reckoned he was 'fit' to drive through the town at 10am despite having a large quantity of the class A narcotic in his bloodstream, a court hearing was told.

McShane, 55 - who has a previous conviction for growing cannabis — was stopped by police whilst behind the wheel of a Renault Megane car on Regent Street.

Following drug testing procedures it was discovered that the proportion of cocaine in his bloodstream well exceeded the total allowance.

He was found to have 74 microgrammes of the drug in his system per litre of blood - the allowed limit is 10mcg per litre of blood.

McShane's lawyer, Aidan Gallagher, told a sentencing hearing at the sheriff court: "He had been abusing drugs in the days prior to the offence being detected.

"He thought he was fit enough to drive but clearly the reading speaks for itself.

"He requires supervision to get him away from any further offending behaviour."

Greenock Telegraph:

It is the second time that McShane, of Hillside Road, has avoided jail time for a drug offence.

He was convicted in 2017 of growing a total of 14 cannabis plants within a 'tented structure' at his home.

The court was told at the time that McShane had spent £600 in backdated benefits money on an array of cultivation equipment.

He was placed under supervision for a year and a four-month home tagging curfew for that offence.

McShane committed his cocaine driving offence on June 28, 2021.

A procurator fiscal depute told the court: "At 10am police were on patrol at the locus at which the accused's vehicle came to their attention when they noticed the rear window was missing.

Greenock Telegraph:

"The accused was stopped and suspected of being under the influence of a substance.

"A drug wipe test of saliva was carried out and returned a positive reading for cocaine.

"A further blood test returned the reading libelled."

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Sheriff Anthony McGeehan said the 'relatively high reading', together with the content of a background report prepared for the hearing, was 'concerning'.

McShane was fined £400 plus a £20 victim surcharge, payable at a rate of £10 per week.

He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for a year and will be supervised by the criminal justice social work department for 12 months.

The community payback order was imposed as a direct alternative to custody.