A police constable convicted of drink driving in court this week has resigned from the Manx force.

Chloe Keegan crashed her car into a field in Sulby after sharing four bottles of wine at the Raven pub in Ballaugh with a friend.

Keegan, of Marsden Terrace, Ramsey, was sentenced to 200 hours’ community service and was banned from driving for six years after she pleaded guilty to a drink-driving charge.

She was also ordered by Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes to retake her test at the end of the ban and attend a drink-drive rehabilitation course.

Keegan failed to negotiate a bend in Sulby and her car ended up on its roof in a field.

The 41-year-old, who was a police constable and had worked in the police in Ireland and the Isle of Man for 15 years, resigned from the force after the incident.

She had been working with the northern policing division.

Keegan failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 96, almost three times the legal limit which is 35.

Mrs Hughes said while passing sentence: ’You had an unblemished 15-year career and you have blown that away with one reckless decision.’

The court heard that Keegan had been drinking at the Raven with a friend on April 18 this year.

They consumed four bottles of wine between them during the afternoon and evening.

Keegan told police that she had intended to leave her car and either get a taxi or walk home.

She said that she did not know why she drove and could not recall anything after 9pm.

In court, her defence advocate Jane Gray said: ’Ms Keegan had gone out with the intention of leaving the vehicle and collecting it the following afternoon. Previously she had booked taxis or walked home. She does not recall all the events and can’t understand the decision she made.

’She accepts full responsibility for her actions. This is something she feels strongly about.

She would never drive even 12 hours after drinking.

’She doesn’t understand why she has no memory from 9pm onwards.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’The four bottles of wine she shared with her friend might go some way to explaining it.’