Ashley Grant was knocked down last year

Sentence was deferred for background reports until 25 May and Andrew was released on bail.

During the trial Sergeant Maurice Rhodes, 36, who is based at Strathclyde Police's traffic department in Motherwell, told the court that he had approached Andrew as soon as he arrived at the scene and saw the taxi driver smoking a cigar.

He told the court: "My colleague asked him if he was okay and he said he'd had a hell of a shock because a girl had run out in front of him."

Sgt Rhodes said Andrew was later breathalysed and found to be almost twice the legal alcohol limit.

George Andrew left court without passing comment

Ashley's parents Colin, 39, and Diane, 36, said they were pleased with the guilty verdict.

Mr Grant said: "We are pleased with the result and hope to get a decent sentence to go with it.

"We want to see him given the maximum sentence possible to send the message out that this kind of thing is not on".

Mrs Grant, who frequently broke down during the trial, said: "We can'tdescribe how hard it's been for us.

" It's not something that ends, it's never going to end for us. Nothing will bring Ashley back".

Ashley's father added: "She never did anything wrong, she was a normal happy teenager".