A Port Erin man has been handed a suspended sentence and banned from driving for driving while under the influence of class ’B’ drug ketamine.

Liam Thomas Brown was stopped by police after he was spotted driving erratically.

Magistrates sentenced the 32-year-old to four months in custody, suspended for 12 months and a three-year driving ban.

He was also made the subject of a 12 month suspended sentence supervision order.

We previously reported that police were on patrol in Port Erin at 6.20pm when they saw Brown, who lives at Ballakilley Close, driving a Ford Mondeo along Castletown Road onto the A5 Shore Road.

The Mondeo clipped the pavement and was crossing the centre line in the road so police followed.

They then saw Brown’s car partially mount the kerb and then narrowly miss a wall.

The Mondeo was then seen crossing the centre line and hitting the kerb again.

He was stopped by police who said that he appeared under the influence of something as his movements were slow and he was unsteady on his feet.

Brown passed a breathalyser test with a reading of zero and told police: ’I’m just drowsy after my medication.’

A smell of cannabis was said to be emanating from his car.

After being taken to police headquarters a blood sample was taken which showed the presence of 123 micrograms of the class ’B’ drug ketamine per litre of blood.

The UK legal limit, which is used here for guidance, is 20 micrograms.

Cannabis was also present in his blood but the reading was 0.7 micrograms per litre of blood. The UK legal limit is two micrograms.

Defence advocate Paul Glover urged magistrates to follow the recommendation of a probation report which suggested probation as an appropriate sentence.

Mr Glover referred to the report which said that custody would have a potential impact on Brown’s mental health.

The advocate said that due to a prison lockdown because of Covid Brown would have to spend most of the time in isolation.

’Mr Brown has no convictions for seven years now and this offence was just over five months ago with no further offences since,’ said the advocate.

’Although the standard of driving wasn’t great there was no damage to property or injuries to any person.’

Magistrates also ordered Brown to retake his test at the end of the ban and pay £125 prosecution costs.