Robin Bromley-Martin, of St Jude’s, pleaded not guilty to allegations of driving on the road while it was shut for the Festival of Motorcycling practices to take place on Tuesday (August 20).

He appeared before magistrates on Wednesday last weej after spending the night in police custody.

He is one of the businessmen behind the £100m Ramsey Marina project to develop a 400-berth marina, an extended breakwater, a five-star ’boutique’ hotel, piazza with bars and restaurants, and housing scheme between the south harbour wall and Queen’s Pier.

Magistrates heard that various witnesses saw the engineer - who heads up a company building container ports in west Africa - travelling on the closed road before being flagged down by a marshal at about 6.10pm.

This was at the junction of Ballacrye Road and the main road, which is part of the TT course and near the Curraghs Wildlife Park.

Roads closed for the practices at 6pm, which were cancelled because of bad weather.

Prosecutor Barry Swain said:

’In relation to this, three if not four marshals were present in that particular location when they heard and saw the defendant on the course.

’One took the initiative to get a flag and flag him down.’

He added that marshals had shouted ’No!’ and tried to tell him that the road was closed.

The 66-year-old, who a former director of Isle of Man Meats, was said to have appeared to have slowed down, but did not stop.

’It was alleged that he turned around and drove off,’ Mr Swain.

The magistrates were told that police had spoken to him at 6.30pm after arriving at his house where they found his blue vehicle in the driveway and Mr Bromley-Martin in a marquee. He was subsequently arrested at 6.50pm.

Mr Bromley-Martin was reported to say to police:

’I needed to get home to repair the marquee.’

He told police:

’The barriers were not up at the junction. Only as I approached the Wildlife Park did a marshal come out with a flag. I thought the road closed at 6.20pm. I was off the road by 6.20pm.’

Defence advocate Jane Gray said her client stated he was not on the road at the time of closure.

’It was only as he was turning off that a marshal waved a flag at him,’ she said.

The defendant said that he arrived home at 6.01pm.

[i]’He has not got any previous convictions and is a man of good character,’ she said.[/i]

The case was adjourned to 2.30pm on October 17 and bail was granted in the sum of £500 with the condition that he stays at his home address.