A motorist who denied driving under the influence of cannabis has changed his plea to guilty and been fined £750 and banned for two years.

Sixty-nine-year-old Andrew Hays has been ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs as the plea change came just a day before a trial was due.

Magistrates also ordered him to take an extended driving test after his ban ends.

Prosecuting advocate Harry Bellis told the court that police were on patrol on Bray Hill in Douglas on May 8 last year, at 3.30pm.

Hays, who lives at Close Fletcher in Douglas, was driving a Ford Transit van in the opposite direction.

The officers noticed a smell of cannabis as he passed them, so they followed and pulled him over on Quarterbridge Road.

When they spoke to Hays, they described him as ‘pale and vacant’ and smelling of the drug.

A roadside drug wipe test proved positive and he was subsequently arrested.

Blood was taken at police headquarters, which was sent to the UK for analysis, and later produced a result of 2.3, above the legal limit of two.

When interviewed, Hays admitted that he had recently smoked cannabis and was not prescribed it.

Defence advocate Darren Taubitz said that his client had pleaded not guilty because he had put the prosecution to proof, regarding the continuity of the evidence.

Mr Taubitz said that an expert’s report had been served by the defence outlining deficiencies in the prosecution case, and that further evidence had only been served last week, which had then resulted in the change of plea.

The advocate said that Hays had been a plumber for over 50 years and the loss of his licence would have a profound effect.

The defendant agreed to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £50 per month.