A teenage drug-driver has been fined £700 and banned from driving for two years.

Abigail Lorraine Cowin was also fined £100 for cannabis possession.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered the 19-year-old to take an extended test at the end of her ban.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that police saw Cowin driving a Ford Fiesta, leaving the car park at the Cat With No Tail pub in Governor’s Hill, Douglas, on January 19, at 10.15pm.

They followed her and stopped her at Braddan Road.

Officers reported a smell of cannabis and described Cowin as having bloodshot eyes.

A drug wipe test proved positive for cannabis and 0.7 grams of the drug, valued by police at £14, was also found.

After being arrested and taken to police headquarters, Cowin, who lives at Milner Park, Port Erin, gave a sample of blood which was sent for analysis and later produced a reading of 3.4. The legal limit for cannabis is two.

In court, Cowin pleaded guilty to both offences.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor said that Cowin had been involved in a traffic accident 12 months ago, which had resulted in her suffering panic attacks and anxiety.

She said that she had been self-medicating with cannabis.

Mr Taylor said that the 3.4 reading did not indicate his client had smoked cannabis immediately prior to driving.

The advocate said that she had used the drug the day before.

He said that Cowin had been out with friends on the night in question and had been dropping them off at various locations.

‘There doesn’t appear to have been any issues with her driving,’ said Mr Taylor.

He also pointed out that the possession offence would likely have been dealt with outside of court as it was his client’s first offence, if it had not been coupled with the drug-driving.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered Cowin to pay £125 prosecution costs.

The High Bailiff said that it was ironic that the defendant had begun self-medicating following a road traffic accident, yet had put herself at risk by driving under the influence of cannabis.

She will pay all amounts by July 31.