Man stole taxi from outside Douglas hotel

20-year-old bailed

A court’s heard a drunk man stole a taxi while its driver was collecting passengers from a Douglas hotel.

Twenty-year-old Samuel William Gordon of Central Promenade in Douglas appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas courthouse.

The pub worker pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without its owner’s consent, driving without a licence or insurance and drink-driving.

Prosecution advocate Hazel Caroon told the court the taxi driver parked outside the Mannin Hotel on Broadway at around 6am on 23 October.

After going inside to pick up luggage, the driver realised his cab had gone, and called police.

Officers carried out a search of the area and found Gordon in the beige Hyundai Tucson on Douglas Promenade.

He was arrested and taken to police headquarters, where testing equipment showed he was more than two and a half times the legal alcohol limit.

Gordon was bailed, and will next appear in court on 21 December for sentencing.