A Douglas drink-driver was trapped in his car after crashing and causing £1,500-worth of damage to an electrical substation.

Brian Michael Mark Gilmour, of Stevenson’s Court, had to be rescued by the fire service after his car went airborne, landing in a field on its side.

Gilmour admitted drink-driving and was put on probation for two years and disqualified from driving for two years with an order to retake his test at the end of the ban.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, on March 27 at 7.53am, police received a 999 call reporting a Toyota Yaris on its side with a man trapped in it at Ballakaighen Road in Castletown.

The car had gone airborne after colliding with the embankment, going over a substation and landing in a field.

Gilmour, who is 37, was trapped inside but was able to talk and when police spoke to him, he was said to be smelling of alcohol.

When he was asked what had happened he answered: ’I’ve had a meltdown, a massive meltdown.’

He was extracted from the car by the fire service and taken to Noble’s Hospital.

A blood test there produced a reading of 124 - the legal limit is 80.

Defending Gilmour in court his advocate Roger Kane said: ’Until this he had a clean driving licence and has been driving for many years.

’The probation report gives a lot of detail which is quite private and we won’t go into in open court.

’The report recommends supervision of some sort. He has spent 35 days in custody, the equivalent of a 70-day sentence.

’He accepts he needs help and needs to take personal responsibility. He is a relatively vulnerable and isolated man.

’He expects and would welcome ongoing support. There was damage caused as a result of the collision.’

Mr Kane went on to say that £1,500 had been paid to an energy provider by Gilmour’s mother in relation to the damage.

’He’s in financial dire straits,’ said the advocate, ’He needs to start servicing his mortgage or he’s in real danger of losing his home.’