A 23-year-old man who spat at two police officers has been sentenced to community service.

Liam Luke Kaighin, of no fixed address, spat in the face of one officer with the spittle going in his eye.

He then spat at another with it landing on his arm and chest.

This came after he was arrested for punching a man on Douglas promenade.

Kaighin admitted two counts of assaulting a police officer as well as offences of common assault, resisting arrest, cannabis possession and possession of diazepam.

He has spent three months on remand, the equivalent of a six month sentence, and magistrates took this into account when ordering him to do 200 hours’ unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay compensation of £50 to his assault victim and £100 to each of the two police officers.

We previously reported that police were called to an address at Empire Terrace in Douglas on July 23 at 11.30pm.

A man said he had been assaulted by Kaighin who had then run off.

The victim said that Kaighin and another man had been shouting at him while he was on his phone outside HQ bar and restaurant.

Kaighin kept shouting that the victim had his phone and that he wanted it back.

The victim told Kaighin it wasn’t his phone but Kaighin was then said to have tried to climb over a fence to get at him, only failing because he was so drunk.

When he did manage to get close to the man he punched him on the back of the neck before making off.

Kaighin was found by police a short distance away and arrested.

He was said to be agitated and spat in the face of one cop with the spittle hitting him in the eye.

Kaighin was taken to police headquarters and put in a cell but as police were trying to put a risk suit on him he spat at another cop hitting him on the chest and arm.

He was also found to be in possession of 11 diazepam tablets.

When interviewed later Kaighin refused to answer any questions.

A separate incident occurred on April 10 when Kaighin was arrested at Windsor Road in Douglas with two other men after reports of a fight.

Kaighin pulled away from police and struggled as he was arrested. A small amount of cannabis was found on him.

Advocate Ian Kermode said that, on April 10, Kaighin was dazed and confused after being kicked in the head during the fight involving the other two men. Mr Kermode said the resisting arrest offence had simply been an attempt to get away.

Of the July 23 incident, Mr Kermode said: ’Quite simply Mr Kaighin accepts the facts because he was so drunk he doesn’t remember anything about them. He has no memory of the spitting. He doesn’t recall the assault on the man.

’No significant injury was caused as a result of the punch. He has written letters to the victim and the police officers.’

The advocate said Kaighin was doing voluntary work with homeless charity Graih.