An Onchan man who took six Diazepam tablets before getting behind the wheel of a car has been jailed.

Ryan Reid, aged 33, of Eskdale Close, ran a red light, almost crashed into a taxi, mounted the kerb and crossed into the opposite carriageway on the evening of April 14.

His erratic journey only came to an end when he crashed his car into the back of a stationary vehicle at the traffic lights on Bray Hill.

When police arrived at the scene they found Reid in a ’trance like state’.

In court on Thursday magistrates heard that Reid’s speech was slow and slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

Officers were shown dashcam footage of Reid’s driving which had been filmed by another motorist.

Reid was arrested and taken to police headquarters in Douglas. Tests showed that Reid had alcohol in his system but he wasn’t over the legal drink-drive limit.

Subsequent blood tests showed that he had Diazepam - a prescribed drug - and cannabis in his bloodstream.

Reid admitted to police that he’d taken two days worth of tablets in one go at 5.30pm that night.

And he later pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while unfit.

In court on Thursday Reid’s advocate Deborah Myerscough told the court that her client needed help.

’Since this event he’s scrapped his car and got himself a bicycle,’ Ms Myerscough added.

The court also heard that Reid had a conviction for an identical offence from 2010.

Reid was sentenced to eight weeks in prison.

Chair of the magistrates bench Gill Eaton told him: ’The standard of your driving was extremely dangerous and frightening.’

Accusing him of posing a risk to other road users as well as pedestrians, she added: ’It’s quite clear to us that you’ve not learnt any lessons since your last court appearance.’

Reid was also disqualified from driving for seven years and until he’s taken and passed an extended driving test and drink and drug awareness course.