A motorist feared for their life when they were confronted by a young driver heading towards them while overtaking on the Mountain Road.

Paul Thomas O’Driscoll, aged 20, had passed his test two months before the incident and was therefore subject to a 50mph speed limit.

But he admitted that he had been driving at about 70mph.

O’Driscoll, of Lower Dukes Road, Douglas, appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes for sentencing on Thursday.

He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service, was banned from driving for 12 months and had his R plate period extended by two years.

Magistrates also ordered that he retake his test at the end of the ban and pay £50 prosecution costs.

We previously reported that O’Driscoll was driving a Vauxhall Corsa on the A18 Mountain Road in the direction of Ramsey on May 21 at 6.10pm.

He passed his test on March 13 and was therefore subject to a 50mph ’R’ plate speed limit at the time of the offence.

A witness reported O’Driscoll’s driving saying he had overtaken them while they were driving at 50mph and he was exceeding the speed.

He forced his way back into a line of traffic then performed a second overtake on another vehicle, again forcing his way back into the traffic afterwards.

Manoeuvre

O’Driscoll was then said to have overtook a third time, this time going past two cars.

A driver who was coming in the opposite direction said that they feared for their life as they were confronted by O’Driscoll heading towards them as he overtook.

The driver flashed his lights at O’Driscoll after the incident.

When interviewed by police O’Driscoll told them he was late to meet a friend but accepted that he shouldn’t have made the third overtake.

He denied that his driving had been dangerous although admitted he had been travelling at about 70mph.

In court, O’Driscoll admitted a charge of dangerous driving.

Defence advocate Kate Alexander said that her client accepted the prosecution facts.

Ms Alexander said O’Driscoll had no previous convictions and accepted his behaviour was ’foolish’ and ’dangerous’, and that it was fortunate that nobody was hurt.

The advocate asked for credit to be given for O’Driscoll’s guilty plea and his co-operation with the police.

Magistrates ordered the two-year ’R’ plate extension start once O’Driscoll has retaken his test and warned him that if it had not been for his guilty plea, they would have sentenced him to 225 hours of community service.