A repeat drink driver, who was more than twice the legal limit, has been banned for five years and put on probation.

After failing a breathalyser test with a reading of 87, Gary Jonathon Pownall told police: ‘I don’t know how I failed, I haven’t drank since yesterday.’

Magistrates also ordered the 37-year-old to take an extended test at the end of his ban and to complete a drink driving rehabilitation course.

Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge told the court that police stopped the defendant while he was driving a Citroen Berlingo on Corony Hill in Ramsey on May 27, at 10.12pm.

He was described as slurring his words, having glazed eyes, and smelling of alcohol.

After failing a roadside breathalyser test, Pownall was arrested and taken to police headquarters.

Checks showed that he only held a provisional licence and no valid insurance.

He told police: ‘I don’t know how I failed, I haven’t drank since yesterday.’

A further test at police HQ produced the result of 87, above the limit of 35.

The Berlingo was taken to the vehicle test centre where a long list of defects were found.

In court, he pleaded guilty to drunk driving, having no driving licence or insurance, and having a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

In July 2020, Pownall was banned from driving for three years for drink driving.

A probation report said that Pownall had said of the latest offence, that the car had been bought by a friend for a few hundred pounds, so that they could teach Pownall to drive in it.

He said he had not checked it and had not realised it was in such a poor state.

Pownall, who lives at Prince's Street in Douglas, maintained that he had only drunk the evening before, and he had not felt intoxicated when driving.

A letter was handed in from the Drug and Alcohol Team and probation concluded that the defendant was in need of support.

Defence advocate Paul Rodgers handed in three letters of reference for his client.

Mr Rodgers said that the 2020 ban had lapsed and Pownall had then got a provisional licence.

‘He made a horrendous error of judgement,’ said the advocate.

‘This conviction is an enormous step backwards for him.’

Mr Rodgers said that his client had significant issues with alcohol but was taking steps to address them.

Magistrates chair David Christian told the defendant: ‘You should have learnt the lesson the first time round.

‘It would have been easier for the prosecution to read out what was good about that vehicle.’