A man who drove under the influence of cannabis has been fined £1,000 and handed a two-year ban.

Thirty-three-year-old Darren Mark Patterson admitted the offence, as well as possessing the class B drug, for which he was fined a further £500.

Prosecuting advocate Peter Connick told the court that police were performing vehicle checks on November 26, at Brookfield Avenue in Castletown.

They stopped Patterson while he was driving a Volkswagen Crafter van and reported that there was a smell of cannabis.

The defendant initially claimed he had a prescription for the drug, and a drug wipe test proved positive for it.

The vehicle was searched, and a tub was found containing 13.7 grams of cannabis, valued by police at £274.

Patterson said: ‘To be honest, it’s not my prescription.’

At police headquarters, a blood sample was taken, which later produced a reading of 3.9 for cannabis, above the limit of two.

Mr Connick said that Patterson had been open and honest during the interview and had said he used the drug for chronic pain caused by an injury.

The defendant, who lives at Hillside Avenue in Douglas, has no previous convictions.

He was represented in court by advocate Helen Lobb, who asked for credit to be given for the immediate guilty plea and her client’s admissions in the police interview.

Ms Lobb said Patterson had not received legal advice during his interview, and had only been informed in court that it was a two year ban for the level of reading.

The advocate said the defendant was a window fitter, who relied on his driving licence, and may now lose his employment due to the disqualification.

Magistrates also ordered Patterson to take an extended driving test at the end of his ban and to pay £125 prosecution costs.