A visiting TT fan was yesterday fined £150 after admitting being drunk in a public place.

John James Walker was arrested outside St John’s Football Club after he was unable to tell police his name or whether he was with anyone.

Magistrates also ordered the 45-year-old to pay £50 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that police were alerted by members of the public on June 7, at 6.30pm.

They saw Walker, who lives at Scott’s Street in Annan, Scotland, sitting on a bench outside the football club.

When officers spoke to him, he was described as swaying, slurring his words, having glazed eyes, and smelling of alcohol.

He was unable to tell police who he was or whether he was with anyone, and he was subsequently arrested.

Mr Swain said that Walker had not been disruptive or aggressive.

Defence advocate Winston Taylor said that his client had apologised to police when he was charged.

Walker said that he had arrived on the island on the day of his arrest, and had had little sleep due to the journey.

He said he had come with a friend, but his friend had needed to urgently return to Scotland after a phone call from his partner.

Walker said that he had helped his friend pay for his return journey and had also given him his phone.

Walker then said he was due to meet some other friends but had been consuming alcohol while waiting.

Mr Taylor said: ‘It may have been a combination of tiredness and alcohol that set him in the state he was in.

‘He was quiet on the bench, and was not harassing anyone else or aggressive to the police.’

The advocate said that Walker wanted to express his gratitude to the Manx police as he said they had treated him with the utmost respect and dignity, which he said he was not previously accustomed to.

Walker said that he only had £180 in cash with him to last until Sunday, as he had spent the rest on a new phone, his friend’s return journey, and some presents.

He said that he doesn’t carry a bank card so he could not get more cash.

Mr Taylor asked the court to consider a conditional discharge.

However, magistrates asked if Walker could contact someone in the UK to help him pay a fine and he said that he had his girlfriend’s phone number.

Mr Swain said that he would reduce the prosecution costs from £125 to £50 to assist Walker.

Magistrates chair Julie Maddrell told the defendant: ‘You’d been on the Isle of Man for less than 24 hours when this happened.

‘Yes, our police are very understanding, but the island can’t tolerate this drunken behaviour during TT.

‘We note you spent time in the cells so you’ve not had a very good TT.’

Walker was ordered to pay the fine and costs forthwith or face up to 14 days in prison.