A 26-year-old man has been fined £400 after police saw him snorting ketamine in a lane near a Douglas night spot.

Dieter Paul Johnson admitted possessing the class B drug and was also ordered by magistrates to pay £125 prosecution costs.

He had previously been charged with possessing cocaine, which he pleaded not guilty to, but this was then replaced by the lesser charge of possessing ketamine.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that police were on patrol near 1886 bar on June 3 at 12.05am when they saw Johnson and two other men in Villiers Lane.

Johnson, who lives at Berry Woods Grove in Douglas, was seen snorting an unknown substance from his hand and was subsequently arrested.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil said that her client had said previously that it was a class B drug and not class A.

Ms Cooil said that Johnson had no previous similar convictions, and that his last conviction was in 2019.

‘He made a foolish decision on a rare night out,’ said the advocate.

Magistrates ordered Johnson to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £100 per month.