Drink driving doctor banned from the roads

45-year-old failed roadside breath test after colleague's leaving do

A doctor from Douglas has been banned from the road after being caught drink driving.

Nikhil Sharma, of Central Promenade, was stopped on Old Castletown Road just after 1am on 22 July.

The 45-year-old had been reported by a fellow motorist who was concerned about his standard of driving – they claimed he’d been straddling the centre line and was being overly cautious on minor bends.

Police found Sharma parked up and sitting in the rear of his Mercedes – he failed a roadside breath test and was arrested and taken to Police Headquarters.

At Douglas Courthouse he admitted being one and a half times over the legal limit.

The court heard he’d told officers he’d drunk one pint of beer at a work leaving do, at a restaurant in Santon, before the group had got a taxi to a nightclub in town.

Sharma then offered to give a colleague a lift home, due to the fact it was raining heavily, and went to his home address to collect his vehicle.

His advocate told the court he felt no ‘ill effects’ from the drink he’d consumed adding: "He’s never been in trouble with police. This offence was out of character for him.

“It’s something he’d never intentionally do," she added: “He’s extremely remorseful for his actions."

Fining him £1200 Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told Sharma: "Your decision on the night in question, I’m sure you’ll agree, was a very poor decision indeed."

Ordering him to pay prosecution costs of £125 she also disqualified him from driving for two years and until he’s taken, and passed, an extended driving test.