A Port St Mary man has admitting possessing drugs and dangerous driving after he was stopped following a police chase.

Robert Hamilton-Hunter, of Station Road, drove away from police who were trying to stop him.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court how, on January 24 at around 7pm, Hamilton-Hunter was driving his Seat Ibiza into Ballasalla from Douglas with two passengers.

As he was approaching the roundabout outside the Whitestone pub, officers in a marked patrol car pulled in front of him to stop him to talk to him.

However, 20-year-old Hamilton-Hunter’s car mounted the pavement and accelorated away, turning left onto Station Road.

Police followed with sirens blaring but still Hamilton-Hunter failed to stop until he pulled into Balthane Industrial Estate and parked.

One of the passengers ran away but Hamilton-Hunter remained and was arrested. When he was searched, police found 1.3 grams of cannabis said to be worth £26.

In a second incident, on July 12 at 1.40am, police saw Hamilton-Hunter again in the Seat Ibiza driving into Marashen Crescent in Port Erin and followed him in a marked vehicle. He was said to be driving faster than the speed limit and police struggled to keep up with him. As he approached Ballakillowey roundabout he performed a hard right turn which police said would have caused a collision if there had been any other traffic coming.

He again failed to stop, despite police sirens, but after around 600 metres pulled over. A search found a small amount of cannabis in Hamilton-Hunter’s sock, as well as a grinder and scales. He told officers that he had ’panicked’.

The court heard that he was in breach of the release terms of a jail sentence imposed in March 2015, of three years, three months, and could be returned to prison for up to 17 months.

Magistrates ruled that, as their maximum sentencing powers were six months, and taking the breach into account, Hamilton-Hunter should be sentenced at the Court of General Gaol Delivery. He will appear there on October 13. Bail continues.