A man who drove after taking cocaine the night before has been sentenced to 120 hours’ community service and banned from the roads for two years.

James Myles Ormerod tested above the legal limit for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of the class A drug.

The 26-year-old appeared at Douglas Courthouse on Tuesday, November 26, and was also ordered to take an extended driving test after his ban ends.

We previously reported that police were on patrol on May 28, at 5.35pm, when they saw Ormerod driving a Vauxhall Astra.

He was said to be going around Ballakillowey Roundabout multiple times.

Police followed him and stopped him on Church Road in Port Erin.

They reported that the defendant’s pupils were constricted, and a drug wipe test proved positive for cocaine.

Ormerod told officers that he had taken the drug the night before.

He was arrested and taken to police headquarters, where a blood sample was taken and sent to the UK for analysis.

This later produced a reading of 56 for benzoylecgonine, the metabolite of cocaine, above the legal limit of 50.

The court heard that Ormerod, who previously lived on the island, already has 11 points on his driving licence, imposed in December 2023, for careless driving, failing to report an accident, and having no insurance.

A probation report said that the defendant, who now lives in Llanelidan in Wales, had been open and honest about his historical use of various illicit substances.

The report said that Ormerod was receiving professional assistance in Wales for substance misuse.

The defendant’s probation officer said that he had liaised with probation services in Wales, and it had been confirmed that the community service could be carried out there.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said that his client had been dropping off a friend in Port St Mary, and admitted using cocaine the night before.

Mr Kermode said that Ormerod had only been marginally over the limit, and had been given a second sample of blood, which he could have opted to have tested himself, but had not done.

The advocate asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and co-operation with the police.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood also ordered the defendant to pay £125 prosecution costs forthwith or face up to 10 days in prison.