A man who stole his friend’s car while he was drunk then crashed it has been fined £1,600 and banned from driving for 18 months.

Jack Almond was also ordered to pay £250 compensation for another car he damaged.

The 22-year-old abandoned the Renault Megane after the crash but was later arrested at his home.

He pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent, drink-driving, failing to stop after an accident, having no driving licence, and having no insurance.

As we previously reported, Almond, who lives at Malew Street in Castletown, was drinking at a friend’s house at Cronk Elfin on February 11 in Ramsey.

The couple who he was staying with went to bed, leaving Almond alone downstairs.

He was then said to have left the property and took the couple’s silver Renault Megane.

Almond crashed it into a nearby Land Rover Freelander but then drove on to Queen’s Pier Road before abandoning the Megane outside Coronation Park.

An off-duty police officer found the car and contacted police.

The front wheels of the Megane were said to be pointing in towards each other and it had also suffered wing damage.

Almond was arrested at his home and said: ‘Let me finish my cup of coffee and ciggie before we go to custody. I’ll admit the whole thing. I stole the car.’

Once at police headquarters, he gave a sample of urine which produced a reading of 117. The legal limit for urine is 107.

During a police interview he admitted the offences.

He has no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode entered a basis of plea for his client in which Almond said he had felt ill and it was raining, so he had decided to drive to his mother’s home at Queen’s Drive in Ramsey.

He said that the keys were in the car but admitted that he had no permission to take it.

Mr Kermode said that it would have been very different if the car belonged to a stranger and the keys had not been in it.

‘His intention was to drive to his mum’s home, around 400 yards up the road,’ said the advocate.

‘He accepts he clipped the Land Rover but says he wasn’t aware of it at the time, you may say because his judgement was impaired through alcohol.’

Mr Kermode said that Almond was only marginally over the drink-drive limit and handed in letters of reference for his client.

The court heard that Almond is working for an airline.

A probation report assessed him as a very low risk of reoffending.

Deputy High Bailiff James Brooks told Almond: ‘You could have easily walked but I am prepared to sentence you on the basis of “drink in sense out”.’

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

He will pay all amounts at a rate of £100 per month.