A Pizza Hut delivery driver has been jailed for 46 weeks and banned from driving for 10 years.

James Jeremy Rennison, of Queen’s Promenade, Douglas, worked as a delivery driver despite being disqualified from driving for seven years in 2015.

The 49-year-old admitted driving while disqualified as well as failing to provide a breath sample, fraud by false representation, and driving with no insurance.

This was his third conviction for driving while disqualified and the fifth time he had been involved in an offence concerning the misuse of alcohol and a motor vehicle.

We previously reported how, on August 15, Rennison was stopped by police at Braddan Road, in Braddan, while driving a Peugeot.

He was delivering for Pizza Hut, based on Walpole Avenue in Douglas, but checks revealed that he had been disqualified in 2015.

Rennison was said to have been working for Pizza Hut, driving since May 18, though not always in a driving-related role.

He was said to be smelling of alcohol and was taken to police headquarters.

He was arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit but refused to take a breathalyser test.

In a police interview Rennison handed in a prepared statement saying he had been going through a tough time and had lost everything. He said he was under financial pressure and was desperate.

Rennison claimed that he had not been drinking alcohol but had consumed a Red Bull soft drink.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said: ’Mr Rennison’s position was one of desperation.

’In April 2014 he came to the island for a fresh start. There were two or three periods of employment but he has been living off his savings.

catch-22

’He would say it’s a Catch-22 situation. He is not eligible for benefits and had difficulty getting a work permit. He accepts he misled the manager. He presented a UK driving licence and the manager offered him a job. The manager approached him, he was a customer.

’He says he was desperate to live, to buy food and pay rent. He needed some form of income. That’s why he made the false representation.’

Mr Kermode said Rennison had been selling some of his property in order to live.

’He plans to go back to Liverpool. He has been disowned by his family. The only glimmer of hope is if he could rekindle his relationship with his children but it was an acrimonious split with his wife.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Rennison: ’You show a disregard for court orders. Your employer trusted you to be honest. He allowed you to drive a company vehicle and you did so knowing you were disqualified.

’It is made more serious because it was a pre-meditated offence.’

He must also attend a drink-drive rehabilitation course and retake his test at the end of his ban.