A drink-driver has successfully won back his licence six months early.

Brett Daniel Burton was banned for three-and-a-half years in July 2020.

On Tuesday, the 37-year-old applied to have his licence restored immediately.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes declined to restore it straightaway, but said she would restore it from July 2023.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that the original offence had been committed on July 10 in 2020.

Burton, who lives at Slieau Whallian View, Peel, was in a Mercedes parked in Atholl Street in Peel.

He reversed his car and collided with the vehicle behind.

Burton then failed a breathalyser test and was subsequently arrested.

A further test, at police headquarters, produced a reading of 94. The legal limit is 35.

Burton said that he had drunk six or seven glasses of wine and had driven from the Creek Inn to Atholl Street.

He was fined £1,500 for the offence and banned from driving for three and a half years.

On Tuesday, Burton gave evidence in court and said that his mother was ill and he was trying to get his business up and running so that he could sustain maintenance payments.

He said that he had completed the drink-driving rehabilitation course.

Advocate Andrew Marshall, representing Burton, handed in 30 letters of reference for his client and said that, at the time of the offence, Burton had been under stress and was using alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Since then, he said he had changed his relationship with alcohol and that restoring his licence would allow him to assist his mother and father, as well as increase his work opportunities.

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes said that she had taken into account that there had been a minor collision at low speed, and no further incidents since Burton’s ban.

He will still need to take an extended driving test before driving again.