A 57-year-old woman from Ramsey has been fined £400 by magistrates and had her driving licence endorsed with seven penalty points.

Dawn Fisher-Lawrence-Simpson, formerly of Beach View Cottages, admitted five driving offences as well as having an unlicensed dog and having a dog causing annoyance or alarm.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, on December 6, police were on Central Promenade when they saw an abandoned Mazda blocking the road, obstructing access to Spectrum Apartments. Checks revealed the owner’s licence had expired and she was uninsured. Fisher-Lawrence-Simpson returned to the car and told police she held a UK licence but had been on the island for a year and hadn’t changed it.

In a separate incident on January 19 at 5.45pm, police were called to Beach View Cottages after a man complained about a dog jumping at him and trying to bite his arm. Police located the Labrador, Blue, outside Fisher-Lawrence-Simpson’s house and approached it but the dog jumped at the officer and he had to retreat to his van.

At 6.25pm, Fisher-Lawrence-Simpson was seen parking her car and taking the dog into the house.

Police spoke to her and she claimed the dog must have opened the door while she was asleep. However, police pointed out they had seen her just returning to the house. She then said she had been to the doctors and she was ordered to produce her driving documents with five days, but failed to do so.

She was asked for a dog licence but said she had a pet passport and thought that allowed her to travel with Blue.

Fisher-Lawrence-Simpson said she had recently been evicted and was now staying at a hotel with Blue.

Magistrates made an order that she keep the dog under control.