A SALTCOATS man has been banned from the roads after nipping to the shops for cigarettes when he was six times over the limit.

Brian Meechan’s decision to get behind the wheel after a night of heavy drinking was “the height of stupidity” and cost him his licence.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard Meechan, 41, was caught driving his car on Keir Hardie Road in Stevenston on April 10 while he was 134 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

His lawyer Gordon Ghee, told the court Meechan of Harbour Point in Saltcoats, was “regretful”.

He said: “It was the height of stupidity. He drove the car to go for cigarettes while he was under the influence. But on a positive he seems to have recognised that and is full or regret and remorse.”

But Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane said Meechan had tried to play down the extent of his drinking after he was caught. She said: “I have to say I was quite shocked that he told social work department he’d only had three cans of lager when he was six times over the limit.”

Mr Ghee, defending, replied: “He thinks he is doing himself a favour by saying these things to authorities. He was drinking heavily the night before that’s why the reading is so spectacularly high.

“He understands he will be disqualified for a long time.”

Sheriff McFarlane disqualified Meechan from driving for two years and ordered him to carry out 130 hours of unpaid work.