A 52-year-old drink driver has been hit with a £2,000 fine and a two-year driving ban.

Darren Keith Walker was seen by police as he got into his BMW on Douglas promenade and then failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 59.

He appeared before magistrates recently and was also ordered to take an extended test at the end of his ban.

Prosecuting advocate Harry Bellis told the court that police were on patrol on Harris Promenade in Douglas on March 21, at 9.25pm, when they saw Walker walking with keys in his hand.

He got into a BMW which was parked on the sea side of the promenade and started to drive away.

Speed control signals illuminated and he was said to be driving at 26mph in a 10mph zone.

The officers stopped him and described him as smelling of alcohol and having glazed eyes.

He told police he’d had a ‘couple of drinks’, and failed a roadside breathalyser test.

Walker, who lives at Murray’s Road in Douglas, was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters, where he failed a further test with the reading of 59, above the legal limit of 35.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil asked for credit to be given for the defendant’s guilty plea and said that Walker had been driving for 40 years.

Walker said that he had drunk about three pints and it had been a lapse of judgement.

Ms Cooil said that the only issue with the driving had been when Walker was driving through the car park, off the road, which was empty, and that he had fully co-operated with the police, and had admitted drinking.

Magistrates also ordered the defendant to pay £125 prosecution costs and he agreed to pay at a rate of £250 per month.