A 26-year-old man drug user has been sentenced to community service for driving while under the influence of cannabis.

Omar Ounis Benmansour, of Fairfield Terrace, Douglas, must do 60 hours unpaid work and was also banned from driving for two years. We previously reported that, on December 8 at 10.15pm, Benmansour was driving his Audi on the Mountain Road.

Police had concerns about his driving and subsequently stopped him at Hillberry.

There was said to be a smell of cannabis in the car and Benmansour was said to have slurred speech and be slow in giving answers to questions.

He was taken to police headquarters where a blood test produced a result of 5.7 micrograms.

There is no legal limit in the island but in the UK it is two micrograms which can be used for guidance.

Defence advocate Michael Mudge said: ’Mr Benmansour had smoked cannabis at a friend’s house in the late afternoon. At approximately 9.45pm he got into his car to drive home. He accepts he was under the influence of illicit drugs.’

The court heard that Benmansour has no drug-related previous convictions.

Magistrates also ordered Benmansour to retake his test at the end of the ban.