Christopher Cameron, of Barrhead, was arrested after making “a catastrophic error of judgement” to drive while under the influence.

Officers saw his car swerving from one side of the road to the other with no rear headlights on and he was pulled over.

He was spotted as he drove through his hometown in March this year and a breath test showed he was more than double the limit.

The 40-year-old, who helped to set up the first Child Psychiatric Clinic in Glasgow in 2002, had 50 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, with the limit being just 22 microgrammes.

He admitted his guilt when he appeared in court last month and returned to the dock this week to learn his fate.

And he now faces losing his job after a sheriff banned him from driving for a year.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that Cameron was spotted by officers as his five-door hatchback swerved from side to side in Barrhead’s Waulkmill Avenue in the early hours of March 6 this year.

They pulled him over in his Kia Rio 1 and could smell alcohol from him.

He failed a breath test and, when cautioned and charged with drink driving, told officers: “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been stupid. I already said I’d had alcohol.” Glenn Davis, defending, said Cameron, who works for the NHS and has more than 20 years’ experience, has to travel a lot for work.

He explained: “In his employment he deals with children with mental health issues.

“It is a peripatetic role — he has to go to a hospital in Coatbridge, travels to see a number of children at different hospitals and appointments and meetings with young people at their homes or in hospital wards.

“This offence is going to have very grave ramifications for him.” The lawyer said that the NHS were now carrying out disciplinary proceedings against Cameron after he “self-reported to them as his contract requires him to do.” He added: “There will now be a disciplinary hearing.

“Due to his level of skill he may be redeployed to ward duties in a particular hospital, working with the elderly or adults in general, if he is fortunate enough to still be in employment.

“He now faces a fitness to practice screening and a fitness to practice hearing.” Davis said that Cameron had been “weaving” from one side of the road to the other to avoid “traffic calming measures” — as opposed to him being so drunk he could not control his vehicle.

And he said that the reason his client’s rear lights were out was because they had “suffered some kind of fuse issue” — evidenced by the fact his front headlights were on.

He asked Sheriff Susan Sinclair to show his client leniency, saying he had only had two drinks on the night in question.

He said: “He is concerned by this matter. He advises me he had gone to Silverburn after his work to uplift some groceries and returned home. He said he had one bottle of beer and a small whisky.

“He hadn’t finished the whisky and at about 2am thought he was sufficiently composed and sober enough to drive to a local garage to buy cigarettes.

“I’m advised the garage was less than a mile from his house but it was a catastrophic error of judgement on his part and one which has had catastrophic consequences for him.” As she banned Cameron from driving for 12 months, placing his career in the balance, Sheriff Sinclair said: “This has to be dealt with, there’s nothing else for it. You shouldn’t have been driving on that occasion.” She also fined Cameron, of Stewart Street, £450, reduced from £600 because he admitted his guilt.