A 20-year-old has admitted drink-driving at more than double the limit after crashing his car at Port Soderick.

Alastair Mark Aubrey Flint also pleaded guilty to having no valid driving licence or insurance.

The offender is already subject to a suspended sentence, imposed at the Court of General Gaol Delivery in October 2021, for assault causing actual bodily harm.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes sent the drink-driving case to the higher court to be dealt with, as it is a breach of the suspended sentence, and Flint will appear there on Friday (February 24).

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that Flint, who lives in Birch Drive, Peel, was driving a grey Ford Transit van on September 26, at 2.15am.

He crashed at Glen Road in Port Soderick, with the van going off the road, and its nose said to have ended up over the side of a small cliff.

When officers arrived there was no-one in the vehicle but Flint was found nearby.

He had scratches on his arms and when asked how he had got them, he answered: ‘I jumped in a gorse bush.’

He was also asked if he was with anyone at the time of driving, and said: ‘Just me, myself and I.’

Flint was described as being unsteady on his feet and having glazed eyes.

An ambulance was called and he was treated by paramedics, and told them: ‘It’s my grandpa’s van and I’ve had a few drinks, so what.’

He failed a roadside breathalyser test and was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters.

Once there, Flint took a further breathalyser test which produced a result of 77.

The legal limit is 35.

Checks also revealed that he held no valid driving licence, only a provisional licence which had expired in July 2022, or insurance.

During a police interview, he answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

On October 15, 2021, Flint was given a two-year suspended sentence and a suspended sentence supervision order, after he kicked and punched a man in the head as he lay unconscious on the ground.

Defence advocate Jim Travers asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing takes place for the drink-driving conviction.

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes said that it will be up to Deemster Graeme Cook, who imposed the suspended sentence, whether it should now be activated.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500.