A painter and decorator from Douglas has been fined £1,000 after admitting driving while under the influence of ecstasy.

Bradley McKevitt was also banned from driving for 12 months with an order to retake his test at the end of the ban.

Prosecuting advocate Rebecca Cubbon told the court how a witness saw McKevitt driving a van with ladders on the roof on July 12 at 9.30am.

He was on the A5 Road heading towards Mount Murray and the witness said that his Nissan car was touching grass and clipped a kerb.

They followed McKevitt and at the Orrisdale turn off he turned his car around and headed back towards Douglas.

The witness also turned and followed him after calling police.

Police arrived and saw McKevitt’s Nissan swerving in the road and stopped him at the bottom of Richmond Hill.

His eyelids were described as ’heavy’ and he told police he was feeling tired because he had been taking tablets for hayfever.

A breathalyser test produced a zero reading but blood taken at police headquarters later showed the presence of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as the class A drug ecstasy, as well as the hayfever medication.

In court, the 33-year-old, who lives at Osborne Terrace, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while unfit through drugs.

His defence advocate Dawn Jones asked for credit to be given for his guilty plea and co-operation with police.

Ms Jones said that her client had felt okay when he set out driving and was heading down south to meet his sister.

The advocate said that McKevitt had then received a message that she could not meet him which was why he turned the car around.

’He felt fine but accepts the previous night he had taken a small amount of MDMA, he said to see what it was like,’ said Ms Jones.

’He was also on prescribed hayfever medication.

’Mr McKevitt accepts his driving deteriorated and he should have stopped. It was a combination of the two substances.

’He was totally co-operative with the police.’

The advocate went on to say that her client was a self-employed painter and decorator so the loss of his licence would affect his work.

Deputy High Bailiff James Brooks also ordered McKevitt to pay £125 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £300 per month.