A visiting TT fan who crashed a motorbike on the Mountain Road after drinking has been fined £1,350.

Australian Peter Stephen Gillan was also banned from driving for two years with an order to take an extended test at the end of the ban.

The 61-year-old pleaded guilty to drink-driving as well as having no insurance.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £280 medical costs for a back calculation in relation to the breathalyser reading, and £125 prosecution costs.

The retiree must pay all amounts forthwith or face 40 days in jail in default.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court how Gillan, whose address was given as Minden Street, Saddleworth, South Australia, was riding a motorcycle on the Mountain Road on June 7 at 7.50pm.

At Keppel Gate he lost control of the bike and suffered minor injuries.

When police arrived Gillan failed a roadside breathalyser test.

He was taken to Noble’s Hospital to have his injuries treated which delayed him taking a breathalyser test until 12.46am on June 8.

When he did take the test he produced a reading of 32. The legal limit is 35.

However, an expert’s back calculation put the reading at 69 at the time of the crash.

Gillan was riding a Manx-registered bike and told police he had bought it while he was visiting.

He admitted that he did not hold insurance for it but said that, in Australia, the bike rather than the person was insured.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said: ‘There is not a great deal to add. It was an unfortunate incident that thankfully didn’t involve injury to anyone else.

‘We accept the lack of insurance in a drink-driving case is an aggravating feature.

‘Mr Gillan had been in discussions about buying the bike and the owner had assured him she had insured it, so he thought he was insured. He made a mistake.’

Mr Wood said that his client held an Australian driving licence and was retired.

‘He had planned to take the bike around Scotland, so he is going to have to change his plans,’ said the advocate.

Mr Wood also asked for credit for the immediate guilty plea and pointed out that Gillan had spent a night in the cells as a result of the offence.

Magistrates fined Gillan £1,350 for the drink-driving with no separate penalty made for the insurance offence.

The ban will apply in the Isle of Man and the UK.