A 21-year-old who was in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of cannabis and ecstasy has been fined £1,250.

Marcus Ray Reynolds appeared before Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood recently and also had his driving licence endorsed with 10 penalty points.

Reynolds had initially denied the offences, but then changed his pleas to guilty, three weeks before a trial was due to take place.

He was also ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs.

We previously reported that police were on patrol on March 11 last year, when they came across Reynolds in a Peugeot Partner van, in a lay-by at Earystane in Colby.

He was sitting in the driving seat and was described as having bloodshot eyes.

A drug wipe test proved positive for cannabis and Reynolds, who lives at Croit Ny Glionney, Colby, was arrested.

At police headquarters, a blood sample was taken and sent for analysis to the UK.

This later produced readings of 2.5 for cannabis, which has a legal limit of two, and 13 for Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), which has a limit of 10.

When interviewed, apprentice joiner Reynolds handed in a prepared statement, saying that he’d driven to the lay-by after a family argument.

He said that he then smoked a spliff and was waiting for a friend to go for a walk but had no intention of driving again.

Reynolds said that he planned to leave the car in the lay-by and stay with his friend, but if they had not come, he had running shoes in the van’s boot, to run home, which was only eight minutes away.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood reiterated that his client had no intention to drive and had always intended to leave his vehicle where it was found.

The advocate said the keys had been in the centre console and not the ignition, but that Reynolds accepted he had access to the driver seat and handbrake, so he had opted to take a pragmatic approach when entering his guilty pleas.

Mr Wood provided seven references for his client, which he said highlighted the offences had been well and truly out of character and were evidence of Reynolds’ genuine remorse.

‘This really has been a wakeup call,’ said the advocate.

‘He realises the disappointment he has caused to his family and friends.

‘This is a young man, who I submit, really has learned his lesson.’

Mr Wood went on to urge the court not to disqualify his client from driving, saying it could limit his opportunities to progress in his employment.

Deputy High Bailiff Ms Braidwood said she had noted that the defendant was just over the limit for both drugs, but it was an aggravating factor that there had been two drugs in his system.

She said there had been no indication that Reynolds was outwardly impaired and it was accepted that he had gone to the location to smoke the cannabis.

Reynolds agreed to pay the fine and costs by July 31.