A roofer has been fined £500 after a ladder he was carrying on his van flew off and went through the windscreen of another vehicle.

Sean James Weir previously sent a postal admission to carrying a dangerous load but was ordered by magistrates to attend court as they felt disqualification was a possibility.

However, High Bailiff Jayne Hughes decided against this and endorsed the 48-year-old’s licence with three penalty points.

We previously reported that police were called to Shore Road in Port St Mary on February 23 after a report of a van being struck by a ladder.

When officers arrived they found the ladder embedded in a Ford Transit van’s windscreen.

The driver had blood on his face and said he felt as if he had glass in his eyes.

Witnesses said that the Ford Transit had been driving in the opposite direction to Weir’s Renault Trafic van when the ladder came off.

The driver said that the ladder came at him ’like a missile’ and that he thought he was going to die.

After being taken to hospital he was diagnosed with scratches to his eyeball and cuts to his hands and face.

He said that since the incident he had suffered back pain, anxiety about driving, and difficulty sleeping.

When interviewed by police Weir, who lives at Campion Way in Douglas, denied that the ladder was insecure and said that it had been a ’freak accident’ due to very strong winds.

Defence advocate Jim Travers handed in letters of reference for his client and said that Weir was keen to point out that he had not been showing the court a discourtesy by sending a postal admission previously.

Mr Travers said that Weir would have attended had he known that disqualification was possible.

’He behaved entirely responsibly at the scene,’ said the advocate.

’He called the police and attended to the injured party. He quickly tried to remove all the debris to ensure no other vehicles became embroiled in the incident.

’Due to remarkably strong winds this particular day and some freak occurrence, the ladder became loose. Mr Weir feels very bad about it.’

The advocate pointed out that the police officer in his report had said that he had to hold on to his van door when he got out and could not wear his hat due to the high winds at the scene.

He continued: ’Mr Weir employs two full time employees. They would be impacted by any disqualification. He is also one of the organisers of the ’Thriller in the Villa’ event which necessitates him driving around various gyms to access boxers. He also attends Hospice, the charity which benefits from the boxing event.’

The High Bailiff also ordered Weir to pay £50 prosecution costs.