A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to six weeks in prison after verbally abusing a woman during a row.

Daniel William Kelly, of Mona Street, Douglas, pleaded guilty to a charge of provoking behaviour while a second charge of common assault on a female was withdrawn.

He has already served 26 days on remand, the equivalent of a 52-day sentence so will be considered time-served.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that police were called to Mona Street on August 27 after reports of a man and women arguing.

When officers arrived they said that Kelly was smelling of alcohol, slurring his words, and unsteady on his feet.

He had a cut on his knee while the woman was suffering from swelling to her lip.

It was said that police had to get between the two as Kelly was moving towards the woman shouting and swearing at her.

He was arrested but continued to repeatedly swear at the woman which was captured on police body cam footage.

The assault charge was withdrawn due to the woman later retracting her allegation.

After being taken to police headquarters Kelly denied any assault but accepted he had been shouting and swearing, though he said he didn’t think members of the public would have heard him.

Defence advocate Paul Glover said: ’It is my submission Mr Kelly shouldn’t have been charged with the assault matter. The woman said from the start she didn’t want to make a complaint. Mr Kelly has been remanded for 26 days, the equivalent of a 52-day sentence.’

Mr Glover asked that Kelly be sentenced so that he was ’time-served’ after taking into account his guilty plea and that the provoking behaviour offence did not involve anything physical or threats.

’He is currently receiving benefits but they would have stopped due to his remand,’ said the advocate.

Mr Swain said that it was not known if the woman was going to co-operate with the assault charge until her retraction statement was received.

Magistrates ruled that no costs would be paid.