A DRUNK driver nearly SIX TIMES the limit got behind the wheel of his car and drove to an Inverclyde supermarket to buy MORE drink.

Boozed-up David Greer grabbed a number of bottles of alcohol at Tesco in Port Glasgow.

But staff at the store took them from him due to the state he was in.

Police were alerted to 54-year-old Greer's level of intoxication after he was spotted getting into a car.

Greer, of Greenock, has been banned from the roads ahead of a sentencing hearing at the sheriff court next month and prosecutors have lodged a motion for forfeiture of the vehicle.

Fiscal depute Pamela Brady told the court that Greer turned up at the Tesco store in the evening of May 1 'smelling of alcohol'.

Mrs Brady said: "He was told by staff that he was not allowed any more drink and the bottles he was holding were taken off him.

"He then left the shop and entered a vehicle."

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A Tesco employee took a photo of Greer and alerted the store manager along with police.

Officers arrived at the scene at around 8pm to find Greer out of his vehicle but in possession of car keys.

He was arrested and taken to Greenock police office following a positive breath test.

Further readings recorded on an intoximeter machine at the station showed the level of alcohol in his system was more than 120mcg per 100ml of breath. The legal limit in Scotland is 22mcg/100ml.

Fiscal depute Mrs Brady lodged a motion for the forfeiture of Greer's vehicle after raising 'very grave concerns' due to the high reading.

Defence solicitor Gerry Keenan said: "No doubt it is a high reading.

"It is suggestive of an individual who was struggling because of a number of factors in his personal and professional life.

"He separated from his wife and moved to Greenock from South Lanarkshire.

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"He sought help from the NHS for his drinking but didn't find it helpful and is currently undergoing private treatment.

"He cut an isolated figure on the date of this incident and had been drinking too much.

"He went elsewhere to buy alcohol and the reason he came back was to offer an apology to staff for his behaviour."

Mr Keenan said first offender Greer 'is getting on top of his problems' and said the incident has been 'a wake-up call' for him.

Sheriff James Varney deferred sentencing until July 17 for background reports to be completed and Greer has been disqualified from driving in the interim.