Ballaugh river crash: Drink-driver ordered to compensate government

The crash happened at Ballaugh Bridge in December

A drink-driver who crashed his girlfriend's car into a river has been order to pay £5,000 in compensation to the Isle of Man Government.

Ashley Kelly caused about £14,000 of damage when he crashed through railings in Ballaugh on 5 December 2020.

The 29-year-old admitted driving while under the influence of alcohol, while disqualified and without insurance.

He was handed an eight-month suspended sentence and banned from driving for five years at Douglas Courthouse.

Kelly, of Westhill Avenue in Castletown, had already been banned from driving for three years for a previous drink-driving offence involving the same vehicle less than a month before the crash, the court heard.

'Impulsive behaviour'

The hearing was told he had been drinking at his then girlfriend's home in Peel on 4 December and was "drunk" when she went to bed at 23:00 GMT.

At about midnight, he took the keys to her Renault Cleo and drove two passengers to the north of the island before crashing into railings opposite the Raven pub.

When arrested, Kelly denied any involvement in the crash and told police he had been drinking with a friend in Ramsey before being dropped off in Ballaugh.

DNA from the driver's air bag indicated he had been at the wheel at the time of the incident.

His defence said it had been "impulsive behaviour in a state of intoxication" and he had not had a drink since.

Alongside the driving offences, Kelly also admitted taking the car without permission.

Handing Kelly a two year supervision order on Thursday, magistrates said he had driven a "considerable distance" while drunk and had "put the public at risk".