A Douglas man has been sentenced to 220 hours’ community service after trying to smuggle drug money through Ronaldsway Airport.

Jason Craig Kneale, of Palatine Apartments, was given the order as a direct alternative to eight months’ custody at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Kneale, aged 22, pleaded guilty to attempting to remove criminal property from the island and possession of cannabis on June 11 and being drunk and disorderly on September 25.

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie said while passing sentence: ’Bear in mind, this is your one opportunity, don’t waste it.’

Kneale’s girlfriend, Georgia Maria Buckley, aged 19, of St Catherine’s Drive, Douglas, who was arrested at the airport with him, was sentenced to 60 hours’ community service in summary court last week.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, on June 11 at 7.40pm, Kneale and Buckley were at the airport attempting to board a flight to Liverpool.

When their belongings were searched security staff found £4,270 in Buckley’s handbag and £1,200 in Kneale’s rucksack.

Kneale’s home was later searched and 27.7 grams of cannabis, said to be worth £544 was found.

Kneale initially denied any wrongdoing saying the cash was to buy a car he had seen on the internet but later admitted he had been given the cash by a man he refused to name.

Buckley told police she thought they were going to buy a car but admitted being present when the man handed over the cash and putting it in her bag.

In a separate incident, on September 25 at 1.35am, Kneale was arrested outside the Courthouse bar in Athol Street in Douglas. However, during the arrest Kneale pulled away from police saying, ’I’m not giving you my arm, I’ve done nothing wrong.’

Kneale ran off into Shaw’s Brow car park but was found hiding behind a pillar.

His advocate Roger Kane told the court that his client had a potential offer of employment if not sent to jail.

Mr Kane said of the drunk and disorderly offence: ’There is no basis of plea because he has no recollection of what exactly went on. It was an immature and silly offence.

’It was ommitted while on bail for the other offences. 2016 had not been a good year for Mr Kneale. He accepts he went off the rails but we would submit he is back on track. There is a sense he is easily taken advantage of and exposure to prison would be counter-productive.’

Kneale was also fined £400 for being drunk and disorderly, banned from licensed premises for six months and ordered to pay £525 prosecution costs.