Inverclyde taxi driver was found EIGHT times the legal alcohol limit at his work

Ryan Mark was still available for hire to potential passengers within the district despite being so drunk he could barely stand up straight.

The intoxicated cabbie, 38, was caught after dropping off a mid-afternoon fare in Gourock and causing a minor collision with another vehicle.

Mark provided a reading of 175 micrograms [mcg] of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath in a roadside test, Greenock Sheriff Court was told.

The legal limit is 22mcg, meaning that he was 7.95 times the maximum allowed.

Prosecutor Lindy Scaife said: "At around 3.25pm the accused was in the course of his employment as a taxi driver.

"He had dropped a passenger off at Shore Street, whereby he had damaged another car.

"The owner of the other vehicle approached the accused and immediately formed the opinion that he was under the influence of alcohol.

"The accused was unsteady on his feet."

Mark, of Belville Street, Greenock, had been driving a red Seat Toledo taxi at the time of the offence on October 5 last year.

Police were alerted to the state he was in by the wife of the driver whose car was damaged.

Fiscal depute Ms Scaife confirmed: "The accused complied with a roadside breath test, which returned a reading of 175 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath."

At Greenock police office some time later, Mark was found to still have 141mcg of booze in 100ml of breath.

But he failed to provide a legally required second specimen for a drunk-driving prosecution.

Ms Scaife said: "A second specimen was asked for. He failed to provide that specimen and he did not give a reasonable excuse.

"He was given a further opportunity and again failed to provide a specimen.

"The accused was thereafter cautioned and charged and made no reply."

Mark, a first offender, pleaded guilty to failing without reasonable excuse to provide breath samples in order to ascertain his ability to drive.

It's not the first time that a local taxi driver has been drunk on duty.

The Telegraph told in April 2018 how a cabbie was five-and-a-half times the booze limit.

Defence lawyer Edel McGinty reserved her plea in mitigation on behalf of Mark for a forthcoming sentencing hearing.

Miss McGinty said: "There is a background with Mr Mark and I think it would be beneficial to get reports."

Sentence on Mark has been deferred until February 26.