A drink-driver whose mum initially took the blame for a crash has been given a fine and motoring ban.

Timothy Joseph Casemore, of Greenlands Avenue, in Ramsey, admitted failing a breathalyser test with a reading of 74 - the legal limit is 35.

The 28-year-old and his mother left her Mini Cooper in a ditch on Andreas Road in St Jude’s on March 18.

When police called at their home Casemore’s mother said she had been driving. She was arrested and taken to police headquarters but later admitted her son had driven.

Prosecutor Roger Kane told the court how, at 5.26pm, members of the public reported the car in a ditch.

Police went to the pair’s home and Casemore’s mother told officers her son had been the passenger. After admitting she was not the driver officers returned to question Casemore at his home. He admitted he was the driver.

Casemore handed in a prepared statement saying he had been at a relative’s house and had a double bacardi and coke. The car clipped the kerb causing it to end up in the ditch. He said when they got home they had been drinking wine.

Casemore initially argued post-driving consumption but a report found he would have been twice the limit at the time.

Mr Reynolds said: ’Mr Casemore is a man of good character. He had arranged to take his mum to the Gaiety the night before and they booked into a hotel as they intended to have a few drinks. That evening they had a few drinks and met friends, drinking until the early hours.

’They got up the following morning and felt fine so went to visit an elderly aunt. He was offered something further to drink and had a bacardi and coke. It’s not something he would usually do.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Casemore: ’Both your mother and yourself are perhaps fortunate as you could have been charged with perverting the course of justice.’ Casemore was fined £1,000 for drink-driving and £750 for obstructing police.

He must retake his test at the end of the ban.