Ban for St Johnstone's Francisco Sandaza after drink driving conviction
St Johnstone football player Francisco Sandaza has been banned from driving after admitting being more than double over the drink drive limit.
The Spanish striker was caught going the wrong way down a one-way street in Perth.
After initially letting him go, police became concerned about the way he drove off and pulled him over again a short time later to breathalyse him.
At Perth Sheriff Court, Sandaza was given a 16 month ban and fined £550.
After failing the roadside breath test the 27-year-old was taken to police headquarters in Perth and gave a reading of 71 mics compared to the 35 mics limit.
When he saw the high reading, he told police: "I want another blow."
The St Johnstone striker spent a night behind bars after being arrested with his girlfriend during the early hours of Friday morning and appeared from custody.
Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said: "My client is 27 and a professional footballer.
"He is very embarrassed and contrite."
Mr McLaughlin said that the striker earned around £4,000 per month.
Sheriff Raymond McMenamin told Sandaza: "You may have been surprised to learn of your breath alcohol reading, but with that amount of alcohol in your breath you should not have been behind the wheel of a car. "
Sandaza can reduce the ban by a quarter by completing a driver rehabilitation course.
The court was told that the player, who turned down a move to Rangers in January, had ten points on his licence for three speeding convictions in the past two years.
Afterwards the footballer left through a court side door and headed to a waiting car being driven by a St Johnstone official.
A spokesman for the club said: "We are aware of what happened and we are making no comment at the moment."
Sandaza has had a successful year on the pitch after scoring 17 goals in 32 appearances this season.