A motorist who was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit when he was stopped told officers he had used alcohol to numb the pain of toothache.
He was banned from driving for three years and fined £1,000 when he appeared before magistrates on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Hazel Carroon told the court how, on October 24, Grnalek was seen by police driving a Citroen C3 on Victoria Road, Douglas.
He was said to be swerving, almost mounting the pavement.
Police stopped him at Lakeside Road and he was said to be smelling of alcohol and having glazed eyes.
Grnalek, an HGV driver, failed a roadside breathalyser test and admitted he had drunk a bottle of wine prior to driving.
He failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 100 - the legal limit is 35.
He told officers: ’I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.’
Mistake
Grnalek’s car tax was also found to have expired on May 31.
The court heard that he had no previous convictions.
Defence advocate Rebecca Cubbon said: ’What speaks most volume is the comment he made to the police.
’Mr Grnalek had been suffering from toothache and hadn’t been able to subside it with painkillers so he decided to use alcohol to numb the pain.
’He was asked to get supplies.
’The car he used was out of tax, it was due to be sold and has now been sold. It wasn’t kept on the roads.’
She added: ’The references speak highly of him. Even with this conviction his employer is willing to give him another role that doesn’t involve driving, he is so well thought of.
’He made the worst decision of his life that evening and is going to pay for it for a long time to come.’
Grnalek, who admitted a charge of drink-driving, must also retake his test at the end of the ban, attend a drink-drive rehabilitation course, and pay £125 costs.