A 27-year-old father who was drunk in charge of his child has been put on probation for 12 months.

He admitted taking the infant to the pub for nearly four hours in a pushchair then leaving him unattended on a bus.

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

The man was also found in possession of the class C drug diazepam.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also banned the offender from entering licensed premises, and buying or being sold alcohol for six months.

He has not been named to protect the identity of the child.

We previously reported that the male went to the Riddler Under the Nest pub in Port Erin at 5.30pm on April 2 with the child, who was sitting in the pushchair.

He then stayed in the bar 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, and was also seen ingesting tablets.

He then took the child on a bus 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 dad was upstairs asking for cigarette paraphernalia.

He was said to be fumbling and dropping his property.

The infant 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.

The court heard that he has no previous convictions.

A probation report said: ’He says in the last few years he has struggled with substance misuse,’

‘This started four years ago when he became dependent on xanax, which he was buying on the street.

‘He contacted the drug and alcohol team (DAT) and was seen for two years.

‘By his own admission he then made quite a big mistake to not work with DAT any more, though he was still struggling.

‘He says he deeply regrets this as his substance misuse increased and he was buying other tablets on the street.

‘He fully accepts his actions that day were appalling. He intended to take his child for a day out in Port Erin but was under the influence of diazepam which had been bought on the street and he had been drinking.

‘This has been a wake up call and he is re-engaging with DAT.’

The report said that the man had moved out of the family home temporarily.

Defence advocate Joseph Burrows handed in a letter of reference from his client’s employer and asked the court to follow the recommendation of the probation report, for a probation order.

The advocate also said that he would not object to a licensing ban.

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes also ordered the man to pay £125 prosecution costs by May 27.