A motorist who drove away from the scene of an accident after hitting a car has been banned for six months and sentenced to community service.

Jon-Paul Fayle admitted failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident, having no driving licence, having no insurance, and having no vehicle licence.

Magistrates ordered the 27-year-old to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 in compensation to the other vehicle owner.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court how Fayle was driving a Volkswagen Golf at 1.35am on September 1 on Marathon Road in Douglas.

He collided with a stationary Ford mini-bus causing damage to it as well as his own car, but then drove away.

Fayle, who lives in Mountfield Road, Onchan, was arrested on October 26 but during a police interview made no admissions, other than to say that the Golf was his.

He was found to have no valid driving licence, insurance or tax.

The court heard that the owner of the other vehicle had claimed on their insurance but had paid a £150 excess.

A probation report said that, although Fayle had previous convictions, his offending had slowed in recent years, apart from him being jailed for a Covid-19 restriction breach recently.

Fayle told probation officers that he had paid £450 for the Golf and had been moving it from the back of his house to the front when the accident occurred.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said that his client had got the car the day before the incident.

Mr Wood said that temptation had got the better of Fayle to move the car but he had been driving at no more than 10mph when he lost control going around the corner.

’He should have left a note,’ said the advocate. ’Better yet he should have reported it to the police.’

Mr Wood said that his client was currently looking for work and would be committed to doing community service.

Magistrates made no order for prosecution costs, making compensation a priority.

He will pay at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.