A man who drove while under the influence of benzoylecgonine has been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for two years.

Jamie Mark Smith admitted the offence and was also ordered to take an extended driving test at the end of his ban.

Benzoylecgonine is the main metabolite in cocaine.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that police saw Smith driving a Nissan Qashqai on Peel Road in Douglas, on October 29 at 10.50pm.

They spoke to the 35-year-old at the Ellan Vannin Fuels forecourt and he was described as having glazed eyes.

A drug wipe test proved positive for cocaine and the self-employed plasterer was subsequently arrested.

At police headquarters, a blood sample was taken which later produced a result of 144 for benzoylecgonine. The legal limit is 50.

The court heard that Smith is still on licence after an early release from sentence, of six years and 11 months, imposed in 2020 for drug smuggling.

That sentenced was for his role in a plot to import £500,000-worth of cannabis to the island.

Smith’s probation officer told the court that the probation service would not be recalling Smith to prison and that it was happy for him to continue on licence.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said: ‘Clearly my client treads on dangerous territory given previous matters.

‘He is working well with probation.

‘He is a self-employed plasterer and is going to find it difficult getting to his jobs without his vehicle.’

Mr Wood asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and said that he had spent two days in custody since answering police bail on Sunday (February 19) and being charged on Monday.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she had taken into account the time spent in custody and that there had been no report of poor driving.

Smith, who lives at Central Promenade in Douglas, was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £100 per week.