A 27-year-old drug-driver has been fined £800 and banned from driving for two years.

Thomas Harry Reff-Butler admitted driving under the influence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered the bricklayer to take an extended driving test at the end of the ban.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that Reff-Butler was at police headquarters on February 27, acting as an appropriate adult for another party who was being detained.

However, while there, police checks found that there was a warrant to be issued for his non-payment of fines.

Reff-Butler asked officers if he could go outside to his car to get his phone, but he was described as appearing fidgety and nervous, with bloodshot eyes and constricted pupils.

A drug wipe test was performed and he tested positive for cocaine.

Reff-Butler, who lives at Heather Crescent in Douglas, admitted he had driven to police headquarters in a Fiat Doblo.

A blood sample was taken and sent for analysis, which later produced a result of 103 for benzoylecgonine.

The legal limit is 50.

The court heard that he already had six points on his licence, imposed in 2022, for having no vehicle insurance.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said: ‘The defendant has set about trying to do a good turn, being there for others, but has ended up in hot water.

‘There was no evidence of poor driving.’

Mr Wood said that the case papers had not included full details of the procedure but Reff-Butler had taken a pragmatic approach, entering an immediate guilty plea, which he should be given credit for.

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes also ordered the defendant to pay £125 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £150 per month.