A 22-year-old visitor has been sentenced to community service and banned from driving for five and a half years.

Cathal John McKenna admitted two counts of taking a vehicle without consent and one of failing to provide a blood sample to police.

McKenna had pleaded guilty to the offences on August 15, admitting taking a Nissan and Ford Escort after he had been drinking, then failing to provide police with a blood sample for testing.

Defence advocate Roger Kane told the court that a probation report prior to sentencing had been ’very positive’.

Mr Kane said that his client would be more than willing to do community service in the island. He lives in Fernaloy in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The advocate said: ’Mr McKenna wants to be able to say he was punished for the offences and gave something back to the community.

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’We can’t minimise the offences. It’s taking a vehicle without consent whilst in drink. Being in drink, he has very limited recollection of his actions.’

He added: ’I would submit he is a young man who has done everything he can since the offence to provide the best mitigation for himself. The advocate said that his client was asked to leave O’Donnell’s, a pub in Castle Street, Douglas, after which he found the unlocked vehicles.

’There was no injury to himself or anyone else,’ he said. ’The vehicles were only driven a short distance. He was shocked and embarrassed. He says it will never happen again. It was a costly mistake for him. He now faces most of his 20s without being able to drive.

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’He was there for 10 days. He is currently working as an apprentice electrician but that ends in November. He will stay in the Isle of Man to get as much community service done as possible.’

The court heard that McKenna’s mother had put forward a surety of £5,000 while her son was on bail.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes described references provided for McKenna as ’excellent’. ’I don’t think I’ve ever read such good references, particularly for someone who is before me for such offences,’ she said. ’You drove the Nissan without any lights and had a collision in the Ford Escort.’

McKenna was sentenced to a ttal of 150 hours community service which must be completed in 12 months and must also retake his driving test at the end of his ban, and attend a drink-driving rehabilitation course. He must also pay £125 prosecution costs.