A man and woman have been fined £500 each for uninsured driving offences.

Nicholas David Campisano admitted driving without insurance, while Carly Megan West pleaded guilty to permitting a vehicle to be driven without insurance.

They were both also given five penalty points and ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs each.

Prosecuting advocate Kate Alexander told the court that the two defendants were seen in a Mazda on Peel Road in Douglas, on November 22.

Thirty-year-old Campisano was driving, with West as the passenger.

However, police checks showed that he was not insured to drive the car and they were subsequently spoken to at McDonald’s.

West, who is 36 and lives at Ballagale Close in Port Erin, told officers that she had a sore arm, so Campisano had been driving her car.

She held insurance, but it did not cover him to drive it.

The court heard that both parties had no previous convictions.

Defence advocate James Peterson represented both defendants, and said that West had injured her hand when the boot accidentally closed on it.

She had then asked Campisano to drive as she was worried about being able to grip the gear stick.

Mr Peterson said that Campisano, whose address was also given as Ballagale Close, had been visiting the island and held a US insurance policy, which they had thought might be sufficient.

The advocate said that there had been no deliberate intent to break the law.

Magistrates ordered Campisano to pay his fine and costs forthwith, while West was given two months to pay.