A drink-driver from Peel who crashed his car after he fell asleep at the wheel has been fined £1,500 by magistrates.

Mark Stanway Hide, of Wood View Court, was also banned from driving for three years and must retake his test at the end of the ban.

The 56-year-old admitted drinking five pints of lager before driving home and hitting a wall and house in Glen Vine.

Prosecutor Michael Jelski told the court how, on September 9 at 10.55pm, police were called to an accident near to Meadow View on the main road in Glen Vine.

When they arrived Hide was in an ambulance and admitted that he had been drinking and driving.

He failed a roadside breathalyser test and was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters.

A further breath test produced a reading of 88 - the legal limit is 35.

During a police interview Hide admitted drinking around five pints of lager saying that he fell asleep which caused him to crash.

He described his actions as ’a huge mistake’ and said that he should not have been driving.

Defending Hide in court his advocate Ian Kermode handed in a letter of apology to the court from his client.

Mr Kermode said: ’Mr Hide was out socialising after a work event. He accepts he drank a number of pints and was driving home to Peel.

’He accepts he made a significant error of judgement and is not seeking to blame anyone else.

’The vehicle clipped a wall then careered across the road into a building. Both owners of the properties have made claims which are being dealt with by insurers.

’No-one was injured. He was alone in the vehicle. He would say he was not speeding but clearly his level of intoxication was such that it did impair his level of driving.’

Mr Kermode went on to ask for credit to be given for his client’s co-operation with police, both at the roadside, and at police headquarters, and for his immediate guilty plea. The advocate added that Hide only had one speeding offence 27 years ago.

’He has instructed me to emphasize his embarrassment,’ said Mr Kermode. ’He has only one conviction in 37 years of driving. He is very embarrassed and ashamed. He has asked me to put on record his thanks to the emergency services and express his thanks to the police for handling his case with dignity and respect.

’In his letter of apology he says that it is something that will never happen again.’

Chair of the magistrates Trudi Williamson said while passing sentence: ’We appreciate your remorse and co-operation. However, you did have a serious amount of alcohol and have crossed the road onto the other side. You could have caused a lot of problems.’