A teenager who crashed his car into a fence after taking cocaine two days earlier has been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for two years.

Daniel Shane Philip Friel was under the legal limit for the class A drug, but over the limit for its metabolite, benzoylecgonine.

The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of benzoylecgonine and was also ordered to take an extended driving test at the end of his ban.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that Friel was driving a Vauxhall Astra on October 21, at 9pm, at Ballaquayle Road in Douglas.

He collided with a fence which resulted in police attending the scene.

Friel was described by officers as appearing ‘hyperactive and extremely nervous’, but Mr Swain said that this may have been due to the accident.

A breathalyser test proved negative, however, a drug wipe test proved positive for cocaine.

After being arrested and taken to police headquarters, Friel gave a sample of blood which was sent for analysis.

This later produced a reading of 140 for benzoylecgonine. The legal limit is 50.

The reading for cocaine was 8.4, below the legal limit of 10.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said that his client had consumed cocaine on October 21 while in London with a friend.

‘He believed he was fit to drive. Clearly the effects of the drugs vary between people,’ said the advocate.

Mr Kermode said that there had been no due care charge in relation to the crash and that Friel had passed his test in January 2022.

‘He is still only 17,’ said the advocate. ‘He was under the specified limit for cocaine.’

Mr Kermode went on to ask for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea.

Friel, who lives at Heather Crescent, and was said to be a plasterer’s labourer, was also ordered by High Bailiff Jayne Hughes, to pay £125 prosecution costs.

He will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £50 per week.