A man with no driving licence or insurance who drove after his girlfriend suffered an asthma attack has been fined £520.

Lewis John Cowie, of Marathon Drive, Douglas, who admitted offences of having no insurance and a licence offence, also had his licence endorsed with six penalty points.

Prosecutor Roger Kane told the court how spoke to 28-year-old Cowie after following him to an address in Keppel Road after seeing him driving on Johnny Watterson’s lane on May 27 at 6.05pm.

He only held a provisional licence which had expired in 2013 which invalidated any vehicle insurance.

Defence advocate Andrew Baker said that there were extraordinary circumstances though they were not a lawful defence.

’There was a medical emergency. Mr Cowie’s girlfriend was having an asthma attack. She was driving about a mile from the house and they decided the quickest thing was for him to drive.

’His girlfriend went straight into the house to get her inhaler and he wasn’t given a chance to explain.’

Mr Baker went on to say that Cowie intended to take driving lessons and pass his test in the future.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £50 prosecution costs. He will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £20 per week deducted from benefits.