A man who said he was delivering a takeaway as a favour has been given a conditional discharge for driving without insurance.

William McKay Robertson admitted the offence and also had his licence endorsed with four penalty points.

The court heard that the 45-year-old was driving a Honda Civic on January 13, at 7.15pm.

He was stopped by police at Saddle Road in Douglas, after they reported that he had failed to come to a complete stop at a junction.

He told officers he was delivering a Chinese takeaway, but wasn’t getting paid, as it was for a friend.

Checks showed that he did not have the correct insurance, as he did not have business insurance.

Defence advocate Paul Rodgers said that the offence was at the bottom end of the scale of driving without insurance offences.

Mr Rodgers said: ‘This is him offering to help out a friend.’

The advocate said that a delivery was due to go to an address near to where Robertson lived, so he had offered to take it there.

Mr Rodgers said that his client held two insurance policies, but had not appreciated that his actions would not be covered by either of them.

Magistrates sentenced the defendant, who lives at Rosehill Mews in Douglas, to a six-month conditional discharge.

He was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs.