Scottish Olympic swimmer Dan Wallace has been banned for a year and fined £600 for drink driving.

The silver medallist was almost two-and-a-half times the legal limit when stopped by police near his rented flat in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, at 3.15am on June 1.

He was caught hours after a drinking session with friends just a mile or so from Stirling University, where he trains.

Prosecutor Laura Knox said: "Police officers stopped the vehicle in question in connection with a document check, and spoke to the accused, who was driving.

"They could smell alcohol and he was required to provide a specimen of breath."

After failing a roadside breath test, Wallace was arrested and taken to Livingston police office, where he gave a sample of breath that proved on analysis to be 2.45 times the legal limit in Scotland.

Appearing at Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday, the 24-year-old first offender, originally from Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Ewen Roy, defending, said the swimmer had been drinking with friends at a private address in Stirling on what was his only day off that week from a rigorous training schedule.

He said: "He advises me he wasn't drinking constantly throughout the day and then took what he thought was a reasonable length break from drinking before driving the two miles home.

"He thought he was fit to drive and clearly that was a significant error. "

Mr Roy said police had been alerted purely by the smell of alcohol from Wallace's breath and said there was no indication of slurred speech, glazed eyes, or unsteadiness.

He said: "He fully appreciates that, as an athlete, he is a role model and, accordingly, far better conduct is expected from somebody in his position."

The court heard that Wallace, who earns £2300 a month as a competitive swimmer, had been suspended from the sport for three months and would lose £7000 in income, while still having to pay rent on his £440 a month flat.

He is also now suspended for the forthcoming British Championship, a suspension Mr Roy described as being "obviously a major blow for him".

Imposing the fine and 12-month drive ban, Sheriff Wyllie Robertson rejected Mr Roy's request to refer Wallace to a rehab scheme, completion of which could have cut the ban by three months.

Outside court, Wallace said: "I am extremely disappointed that I have let people down. Now I am moving forward and looking towards the future."

Wallace became known for yelling "for freedom" when he set a British record to win the 400m individual medley for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

He also won a silver medal as a member of the 4x200m freestyle relay team at the Olympics in Rio last summer and won gold in the same event at the 2015 World Championships.

British Swimming national performance director Chris Spice and Scottish Swimming director of performance Ally Whike said: "This is clearly unacceptable behaviour from Dan and we are disappointed by his actions.

"Dan has publicly acknowledged the seriousness of his mistake and is accepting of the consequences that must follow.

"Together, we will now support him through this difficult period to try to get this young and talented man back on track."