A drink-driver has been fined £900 and banned from driving for two years.

Jamie Gordon McMurdo, aged 28, of Cronk y Berry Avenue, Douglas, failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 59. The legal limit is 35.

McMurdo must also retake his test at the end of the ban.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that police were called to Cronk y Berry Avenue on November 17 at 1.30am after a report of a car alarm in a Nissan Qashqai causing a disturbance.

They spoke to McMurdo who was at home and said that he had dealt with the car alarm.

He was said to have appeared drunk but there was no evidence he had been driving at this point so police left.

However, at 1.50am they were called back to the area after it was reported that McMurdo had driven off in his car.

When police called at his house lights were on but he was not in.

They searched the area for the car but could not find McMurdo.

Police returned to his house again and this time McMurdo and the car were back.

When questioned, he said he had not been out and when asked if he had been drinking he said he had drunk a ’couple of pints’.

He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and failed a breathalyser test at police headquarters with a reading of 59.

It was said that while driving, McMurdo had been searching for his dog and had bumped a neighbour’s car but this was being settled privately.

Defence advocate Paul Glover handed in references for this client and asked for credit to be given for his guilty plea.

’A reading of 59 is relatively low, though obviously inexcusable,’ said the advocate.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered McMurdo to also pay £125 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £150 per month.