A motorist who was in charge of a vehicle, while over the legal limit for alcohol, has been fined £750.

Darryl James Russell Fox admitted the offence and also had his licence endorsed with 10 penalty points.

Magistrates heard that the defendant was spoken to by police on June 29, at 2.45pm, while he was in a Citroen C3, at Alexander Drive in Douglas.

The 44-year-old was described as having red pupils, but a drug wipe test proved negative.

Fox said that he had consumed one drink, but he then failed a breathalyser test.

After being taken to police headquarters, a further test produced a reading of 57, above the legal limit of 35.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode stressed that his client had not been charged with a driving offence, and that it was only being in charge of the vehicle.

Mr Kermode asked for credit to be given for the defendant’s guilty plea, and handed in a letter of reference from his employer, saying that Fox was a driver by profession, so he needed his licence.

The advocate said that, if a driving ban was imposed by the court, his client would most likely lose his job.

Mr Kermode went on to say that Fox was also a labourer, having been with his employer for a year, but drove around the island collecting materials and delivering them to different sites on a daily basis.

The advocate said that his client was pleading for mercy and asking the court to impose points and not a driving ban, adding that he had no previous convictions of a similar nature.

Magistrates also ordered the defendant, who lives at Snugborough Avenue in Union Mills, to pay £50 prosecution costs.

He will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £20 per week.