A man who was hit by a drunk driver while cycling and left in chronic pain has called a sheriff's sentencing decision "atrocious".

The Herald told in December how Ian Gillies was on his bike for a weekend leisure cycle when he was hit from behind by driver Mark Hugh Shields, who had been drinking before he got behind the wheel.

On Wednesday at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Shields was banned from driving for 12 months and given a £540 fine.

Mr Gillies, who is now unable to work due to his injuries, said: "I don't know if I'll ever be able to work again yet with the damage he's done to myself he's been fined £540.

"It's nothing, it's the cost of an iPad. It's absolutely atrocious, to be honest.

"They're supposedly clamping down on serious injuries and these things happening to pedestrians and cyclists and someone that's caught bang to rights and this is what the sheriff gave them.

"There's no words to actually explain how strongly I feel against this.

"The signal this sends is that you can go out drinking, driving, without a care in the world for any other people and you'll get away with it."

On Saturday, May 6, last year Ian cycling on his own near to the Garfield House Hotel in Stepps when he was hit by a car and propelled through the air to land about 25ft away.

The driver, Shields, pleaded guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court to charges of driving without due care and attention and drunk driving.

READ MORE: Two brothers were in bike crashes weeks apart - one lived, one died

The 44-year-old, from Bishopbriggs, was admonished and dismissed in relation to the first charge and given a 12 month ban from driving for the second charge along with a £600 fine reduced to £540 in relation to him offering a guilty plea.

The court heard that Shields, who lives at home with his mother, has an ongoing alcohol addiction and financial difficulties.

Mr Gillies is still in almost unbearable chronic pain nine months on from the incident.

He is now faced with an appalling decision - there is an operation that may ease his pain but it could also leave him paralysed.

He added: "I'm very much stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"My life is on hold and I can't do anything at all.

"Although, of course, I know there's a lot worse than me - I know that I'm quite lucky I'm here."

Mr Gillies endured the initial trauma of the crash thanks to support from his brother, Scott.

However, just weeks later, Scott was also knocked from his bike and died at the scene of the incident.

The brothers were exceptionally close and both keen cyclists with Scott, in particular, owning multiple bikes and high-tech equipment.

In the immediate aftermath of Mr Gillies's crash two women stopped to help and call an ambulance while he, an experienced First Aider, tried to stay in one position and protect his spine.

Eyewitnesses at the scene said two children in the vehicle ran out to see what had happened.

READ MORE: New cycle lane figures show importance of protected routes for cyclists

Mr Gillies previously said: "One girl walked past and I could recall her shouting, 'He's dead', so I shouted out, 'It's alright darling, I'm ok, I'm ok' because it's not fair on the children.

"The guy got out of the car and I could hear someone saying, 'He's pished, he's pished' and I looked round and I could see him slumped over his door."

At Glasgow Royal Infirmary Mr Gillies was found to have three displaced broken ribs, major swelling and injuries to his back.

Nine weeks later, still in extreme pain, it was discovered he also had a displaced broken elbow that had initially been missed.

On June 9, just five weeks after his crash, Scott was killed on the A806 Initiative Road in East Dunbartonshire having taken his bike out to cycle to the Campsie Hills.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “The 62-year-old male driver was arrested at the time of the incident in connection with road traffic offences and later released pending further enquiries.

“Enquiries are continuing.”

Ian has been lobbying East Dunbartonshire Council to take a meaningful look at the safety of Initiative Road, particularly for cyclists.