A motorist who drove while under the influence of cannabis has been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for two years.

Magistrates also ordered Carl Thomas Cannon to take an extended test at the end of his ban.

The 41-year-old was also fined a further £160 for having no vehicle tax.

Prosecuting advocate Peter Connick told the court that Cannon was seen by police while he was driving a Ford Focus on Peel Road in Douglas on December 12 at 10pm.

Checks found that his tax had expired in April 2022 so officers stopped him.

They reported a smell of cannabis coming from the car and a drug wipe test proved positive for cannabis.

Cannon, who lives at Westhill Avenue, Castletown, was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters.

Once there, a sample of blood was taken which was sent for analysis and later produced a reading of 4.6.

The legal limit for cannabis is two.

Defence advocate David Reynolds asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea.

‘Mr Cannon tells me he had smoked cannabis the previous night,’ said the advocate.

Mr Reynolds said that Cannon suffered from arthritis and said that he had been self-medicating with the drug, as he found that prescription medication from a GP had made him feel ill.

Magistrates also ordered Cannon to pay £125 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fines, at a rate of £25 per week.

Chair of the magistrates Julian Ashcroft said: ‘Driving with drugs in people’s systems seems to be getting more common. More people are getting caught.’