Teen who drove Land Rover up Isle of Man hill on test drive fined

The vehicle was found by a walker abandoned near the top of Slieau Freoaghane

A teenager who caused extensive damage to heathland while test driving a Land Rover before abandoning it at the top of a hill has been fined £1,000.

Benjamin Long, 18, pleaded guilty to driving the vehicle off-road on Slieau Freoaghane on the Isle of Man in June.

A walker found and photographed the car near the top of the hill.

The area, near to Kirk Michael, is the second highest peak on the island and is the home of several endangered species, including hen harriers.

Long, of Cronk Road in Ballaugh, was fined £500 each for driving an overweight vehicle on a greenway road and driving a vehicle elsewhere other than on a highway between 19 and 20 June.

A special permit is needed on the island to drive a vehicle weighing more than 1,100lbs (500kg) on roads designated as greenways.

He was also handed three penalty points and ordered to pay £50 costs at the hearing at Douglas Courthouse on Thursday.

Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot said the prosecution sent out "a message that these types of incidents are taken very seriously".

"The Isle of Man is a special place and deserves the very best environmental protection," he added.