A teenager has been sentenced to community service after he tried to use forged £20 notes.

Brandon Runge, of Poacher’s Pocket, Ballasalla, tried to swap the four notes which only had print on one side at Corkills garage in Onchan.

He admitted fraud by false representation and was sentenced to 80 hours of community service by High Bailiff Jayne Hughes.

Mrs Hughes told the 19-year-old: ’I find it difficult to imagine a less sophisticated offence than this.

’I don’t know how you thought you would get away with bank notes only printed on one side.’

Prosecutor Hazel Carroon told the court that Runge arrived at the garage on April 16 at 6.45pm.

He asked staff if they would swap Manx notes for English ones.

Runge then handed over four £20 notes but one side of the notes was plain white and easily spotted as forged.

When this was pointed out to Runge he left the garage saying: ’I’m sorry, I’ve just been done over.’

Police traced the registration on his car from CCTV footage and he was subsequently arrested at home.

When interviewed he handed in a prepared statement saying he had been given the notes by a friend who he refused to name.

He said he suspected they were fake and admitted trying to use them at Corkills.

All four notes had print on one side only and were blank on the other.

Runge told probation officers that his friend had owed him money and had given him the notes.

He claimed he was initially only going to ask garage staff to check the notes but then decided to try to pass them off as Manx currency.

The report described the offence as a ’highly unsophisticated crime’.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil represented Runge, who it was said works as a sales assistance at a builder’s merchant.

Ms Cooil said: ’The forgeries are incredibly simplistic. He has obviously been extremely naive.

’It was something he did quite nervously and when challenged, he took them back immediately.’