A 53-year-old man from Santon has been fined £550 for driving without insurance and failing to conform to a traffic direction.

Paul Andrew Cuthbert Dunphy, of Knock Froy Road, also had his licence endorsed with six points.

Prosecuting advocate Rachael Braidwood told the court that Dunphy was driving a friend’s Land Rover in Ramsey on September 15 at 5pm.

He was said to have started driving over the swing bridge but then reversed back, against the one-way system.

He then collided with the wing mirror of another car which was behind.

Dunphy stopped and swapped details with the other driver as he said he was insured.

However, Dunphy said that he had later discovered that he was no longer insured to drive his friend’s vehicle as he said the friend’s estranged wife had changed the policy.

Defence advocate David Clegg said that the distance which Dunphy had reversed, against the one-way system, had only been around a car length.

Mr Clegg pointed out that no careless driving charge had been laid as police had deemed the collision the fault of both parties equally.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes fined Dunphy £400 for having no insurance and £150 for failing to conform to a traffic direction.

He will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £100 per month.