A Castletown man who failed to give police a breath sample has been fined £2,000 and banned from the roads for five years.

Thirty-seven-year-old William Daniel Hays admitted the offence and was also ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs by magistrates on Thursday, November 7.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that police were on patrol on May 27, at 1.10am, when they saw a torchlight on Douglas Road in Castletown.

They found Hays’ Honda Jazz with only its side lights on and the driver’s window going up and down.

Hays was in the car and was described as smelling of alcohol, slurring his words, and having glazed eyes.

He took a roadside breathalyser test and failed, which resulted in him being arrested.

At police headquarters, two further breath samples were requested and Hays said he was happy to provide them.

However, he then failed to do so.

He initially pleaded not guilty to the offence in court on May 30, but then changed his plea to guilty on September 5.

Defence advocate Laurence Vaughan-Williams said that his client had co-operated with police at the roadside, but his difficulties had come at the police station.

The advocate said that Hays had attempted to blow twice but had failed to provide a sample.

‘He has picked himself up by his bootstraps over the last 20 years and is now head chef at a catering establishment in the South of the island,’ said the advocate.

‘Why was he unable to provide samples?

‘We shall never know for sure. He stated that he had been taking medication, and that coupled with alcohol and panic, has resulted in this matter becoming more serious than it might have been.’

Magistrates ordered Hays, who lives at Smetana Close, to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £200 per month.