A man who got into a brawl on a bus has been sentenced to 160 hours’ community service.

We previously reported that James Steven Cosgrove, who admitted affray, was on a bus travelling from Port St Mary to Douglas on September 12 at 8pm with his children.

The 37-year-old was said to have taken exception to two males who he believed were swearing, which they denied.

Cosgrove, of School Hill Avenue, Castletown, was said to have taken photos of them as the bus arrived at Red Gap in Castletown.

He got off the bus with the children but got back on by himself and struck one of the males on the side of the head.

A fight then broke out during which one punch from Cosgrove was said to have connected with a woman accidentally.

Other people intervened to try to break up the fracas but Cosgrove was said to have then jumped over a seat and landed on another woman.

The brawl continued but Cosgrove was removed from the bus before police arrived and arrested him.

Defence advocate Deborah Myerscough said: ’Mr Cosgrove has asked me to apologise to the court and the members of the public on the bus. He is deeply ashamed.’

Ms Myerscough said that her client was a groundworker and the breadwinner for his family.

The advocate asked for credit to be given for his guilty plea and the fact that he has no convictions since 2012.

Magistrates ordered Cosgrove to pay £125 in prosecution costs at a rate of £25 per week.