A Ramsey teenager who drove after using cocaine days before has been banned from the roads for two years and fined £750.

Eighteen-year-old Ashton Marsh appeared before magistrates recently, admitting driving under the influence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of the drug.

He was also ordered to take an extended test at the end of his ban, and to pay £125 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge told the court that police saw Marsh driving a Volkswagen Polo on June 8, at 5.50pm, in Kirk Michael.

A drug wipe test proved positive for cocaine.

Marsh, who lives at Fairway Drive, was arrested and taken to police headquarters.

A blood sample was taken and sent to the UK for analysis, which later produced a reading of 65 for benzoylecgonine, above the 50 legal limit.

The court heard that Marsh had no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Darren Taubitz handed in three letters of reference on behalf of his client.

Mr Taubitz said that there was a real lack of knowledge for many individuals who were coming before the court, regarding how long drugs remain in someone’s system after taking them, as it can be three or four days.

‘Many individuals don’t recognise that,’ he said.

The advocate said Marsh’s experience at police headquarters had been a salutary one, and something that would live with him for a long time.

‘He tells me he won’t be taking drugs ever again,’ said Mr Taubitz.

The advocate said that the incident had been weighing heavily on his client’s mind as the drug test results take three or four months to come back from the UK.

Magistrates chair David Nash said: ‘Having read the references we are surprised this has happened.’

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