A serial driving offender who was jailed for 15 months after being caught committing his ninth motoring offence has withdrawn his appeal against sentence.

Arya Askari, also known as Asim Dawood, was stopped by police moments after driving off the Manxman ferry in the early hours of February 11. He had been seen drinking on board and appeared intoxicated, prompting crew members to raise concerns with police before the vessel docked.

Askari, 27, who lives in the UK, was stopped in the terminal's departure area before he had reached a public road and was later found to be over the limit.

He later pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and drink driving.

The Court of General Gaol Delivery in February, heard how Askari had eight previous convictions for driving while disqualified and five for drink driving. The court also heard that his licence had been previously revoked due to the risk he posed to other road users.

Defence advocate Kaitlyn Shimmin said her client had admitted the offences at the earliest opportunity and had travelled only a short distance before being stopped.

However, Deemster Graeme Cook said he had no intention of imposing a financial penalty. Describing Askari’s driving record as ‘one of the most appalling I have ever seen’, he said the defendant showed a ‘patent disregard’ for court orders.

Due to the seriousness of his previous offences, Deemster Cook gave Askari only a 15% credit for his guilty pleas, rather than the usual one-third. He jailed him for 10 months for driving while disqualified and a further five months for drink driving, to be served consecutively.

Askari was also banned from driving for five years and made subject to an exclusion order preventing him from returning to the Isle of Man for at least five years.