A 27-year-old father has admitted being drunk in charge of a child in a pub and on a bus.

He took the infant to the pub in his pushchair for nearly four hours, then left him unattended on a bus while he asked passengers for cigarette paraphernalia.

The youngster was found with a nappy so full it was leaking through clothing.

His father was also found in possession of the class C drug diazepam.

The man has not been named to protect the identity of the child.

He will be sentenced on April 26 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court how the male went to the Fiddler under the Nest pub in Port Erin at 5.30pm on April 2 with the child, who was sitting in a pushchair.

He then stayed in the pub until 9.20pm when he was asked to leave by staff.

The man was said to have consumed at least three bottles of cider and two pints of Guinness. He was also seen ingesting tablets.

The man then got on a bus with the child but left him unattended at times, or with strangers.

An off-duty police officer reported the matter due to concerns for the child and the infant was found unattended at the back of the bus while his father was upstairs asking for cigarette paraphernalia.

The child was returned to its mother but had a full nappy which was leaking through its clothing.

The man was found to be in possession of 12 diazepam tablets which he was not prescribed.

When interviewed by police later, he denied being drunk but admitted possession of the drug.

Defence advocate David Clegg asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing.

Mr Clegg said that a social services investigation had since taken place and been concluded. He said that the man had temporarily moved out of the family home since the incident but would be returning at some point.

Mr Clegg said that the man wanted a licensing ban to be imposed as he felt this would assist him and that he was working with the drug and alcohol team.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes accepted summary court jurisdiction for sentencing for the drug offence, which could have been committed to the higher court.

The neglect charge can only be heard in summary court.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500.