Ex-footballer Charlie Miller avoids driving ban

Charlie Miller pictured during his Rangers days. Picture: Robert Perry

Stipendiary magistrate Sukhwinder Gill instead fined Miller £500 and imposed 10 penalty points on his licence.

Miller, 38, from Bishopbriggs, who played for Rangers during the nine-in-a-row years, was also found guilty of urinating in the street.

Glasgow’s justice of the peace court heard that Miller was seen urinating beside his Vauxhall

Astra which was parked in Woodville Street, Glasgow, near to the Loudon Tavern on November 16, 2013.

This was seen by two police officers who were in plain clothes and involved in an anti-social behaviour operation.

Constable Alison Gormley said that she and her colleague Constable Graeme Collier saw Miller get out the driver’s door. Two other men also got out of the car.

She told depute fiscal Kathleen O’Donnell: “Mr Miller proceeded to urinate at the car.”

Constable Gormley added: “When I spoke to him I noticed that his eyes were glazed and I could smell alcohol – stale alcohol – on his breath.”

The court was told that initially one of the other men claimed he was the driver of the car, but then Miller admitted it was him.

Traffic police were called to the scene and Miller took a breathalyser test, which he failed.

He was then taken to Helen Street police station where he refused to give a specimen of breath to police.

Constable Gormley said that Miller told her: “I was going into the car to get cigarettes.”

Later in Helen Street police office the former midfielder said: “Crazy, craziness. You’re getting me breathalysed to jail me. I’m not getting done for drink driving or just getting cigarettes out of a car..”

Miller did not give evidence during the trial.

Magistrate Gill found Miller guilty of both charges saying: “I found the evidence of the police officers to be credible and reliable.”

She admonished Miller on the charge of urinating in public and ordered him to pay his £500 fine on the other charge at £10 a week.

She told him: “ I will not disqualify you, but If you are caught doing anything else you are likely to be disqualified.”

Miller started his football career with Rangers from 1993 until 1999. During some of that time he was on loan to Leicester City and Watford.

He has also played for Dundee, Norwegian team SK Brann and Australian team Gold Coast United before briefly playing for Clyde in 2011.

His defence lawyer Neil Kilcoyne said that Miller now runs a football academy and added: “His income is £200 a week.”