A court case has been delayed after police forgot to send a urine sample to the UK for testing.

James Jeremy Rennison is charged with dangerous driving and is yet to enter a plea.

Results of the urine test are needed so that the prosecution can decide whether to proceed with that charge or possibly replace it with one of drink-driving. The offence is alleged to have been committed on September 23.

Rennison, who lives at Empress Drive in Douglas, appeared in court via video link from the prison where he is currently on remand.

The 52-year-old is due to be sentenced at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on December 3 for other offences of driving while disqualified, failing to provide a sample of breath, having no insurance, and having no tax.

Rennison has previously been convicted of driving while disqualified five times in the last six years.

On Tuesday, talking about the urine test, defence advocate Ian Kermode said: ’It is quite shocking the police’s lack of activity on the file. We were informed in September the urine had been sent.’

It was said that police had initially forgotten to send the sample, then said it had been sent, and had now confirmed that it had not yet been sent, but would be later this week.

It is likely there will be a six-week turnaround for results to come back.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’It is completely unacceptable, not only for the evidence to not be available, but to have not yet been sent, without a proper explanation as to why.’

Mrs Hughes adjourned the case until November 23 but said that, if the urine results were still not available, she may ask the prosecution to look at whether it is in the public interest to proceed with the charge, bearing in mind Rennison is due to be sentenced for other matters at the higher court. No bail application was made.