A 23 year old man who admitted taking a car without the owner's consent has been given a four month prison sentence suspended for two years by the High Bailiff.

Daniel Ivan Holmes admitted the offence along with two others of drink driving and driving without insurance or a driving licence.

Stuart Peters reports:

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Inspector Andrew Turner, prosecuting, said the defendant took a friend's car from Royal Avenue West, Onchan, at 9.30pm on November 10th, and shortly afterwards crashed it at Port Jack.

He returned to the house, where he was arrested for taking the vehicle without the owner's consent and drink driving. His blood alcohol reading was 161 milligrammes. The legal limit is 80.

His advocate said when the Holmes returned to the house after the accident he had a large drink to calm his nerves.

However, an expert report indicated that at the time that the defendant would be driving the alcohol reading would have been 101 milligrammes, and Inspector Turner said he accepted that fact.

The court was told that the defendant had paid for damage to the car.

Mr Moyle banned Holmes from driving for two years and ordered him to pay costs.