A drink-driver from England who was more than four times over the limit has been jailed for eight weeks.

Michael Paul Groves, of Oldbury Prior, Calne, Wiltshire, was also banned from driving for six years with an order to retake his test at the end of the ban.

Groves pleaded guilty in court to a drink-driving charge and the case had been adjourned to allow time for the preparation of a probation report.

We previously reported how, on the morning of February 24, 50-year-old Groves, who was staying in the island at the time, drove his Nissan Note from Port St Mary to his workplace in Douglas.

Later that day, he was reported by a witness who said they saw him at Port St Mary Co-op and suspected him of drink-driving.

He was quizzed by police and admitted that he had drunk two pints of cider at lunchtime, then two vodkas with orange in the afternoon.

Groves told police that he then drove back to Port St Mary from Douglas at 4pm but had stopped somewhere on the way and consumed another vodka and orange.

When he arrived back in Port St Mary he said he had gone to the Co-op before driving a further half mile to his house.

Groves said he then drank more vodka and orange after arriving home.

A breathalyser test at police headquarters produced a reading of 143 - the legal limit is 35.

He was asked in court if he intended to pursue an argument of post-driving consumption but said that he accepted the breathalyser reading.

Defending Groves in court, his advocate Winston Taylor said: ’Mr Groves has had health issues going back to 2014. As a result, he developed a dependency on alcohol. He accepts this is not a proper way to deal with his illness. but that was the unfortunate way he sought to deal with his problems.

’In 2015, as a result of drinking, he suffered a medical episode which caused him to wake up. He got himself off alcohol for 11 months.

’In 2016 he moved to the Isle of Man to take up a new job.

’He was required to complete the move in two weeks and found it extremely stressful.

’The new job wasn’t quite what he hoped, he suffered great stress and anxiety and his ill health began to re-occur. He believes the combination of all those factors caused him to resume drinking and it escalated rapidly.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’I note you have a difficulty with alcohol. Nonetheless, it does not explain why you drove. The level of reading is one of the highest in this court in recent times.’