A Port St Mary man has been convicted of assault after he punched a policewoman and shouted ’rape’ as he was arrested for another offence.

James Adrian Tinkler, of Links Avenue, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer as well as two other offences of possessing cannabis and failing to provide a breath sample.

The 36-year-old will be sentenced on Monday, October 9, after the preparation of a probation report.

Seven other charges against Tinkler were withdrawn by the prosecution.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, at 7pm on September 3 last year, police were called to Mona Drive in Douglas after a report that two men were ’unresponsive’ in a Ford Ka.

When police arrived they found one man, who was dealt with separately, walking around appearing ’dazed and confused’.

Tinkler was sitting in the driving seat of the Ford Ka and appeared to be asleep.

Police attempted to rouse him and after around 20 seconds he awoke.

He tried to start the car engine to drive away but an officer took the keys off him.

Police then dealt with the other man but when they returned to Tinkler he got out of the car and ran off.

He was caught but was verbally abusive and lashed out, punching a policewoman in the head.

Police used incapacitant spray and he was arrested and taken to police headquarters.

During an interview he admitted falling asleep in the car but denied any assault.

He was charged with assaulting a police officer.

In a separate incident, on January 27 at 9pm, police were informed by a witness that they had seen Tinkler ’stagger’ out of the Co-op on Station Road in Port Erin and get into his car and drive.

Police called at Tinkler’s home but he refused to let them in and would only speak through an open window. There was a smell of cannabis coming from the premises.

Police eventually forced entry into the house and Tinkler was said to have charged towards them and was arrested after cannabis was found.

As he was taken out of the house he struggled with police, swore at them and shouted ’Rape. Rape.’

In custody he refused to provide a specimen of breath and said that the cannabis had been ’planted’ on him.

He then claimed that cannabis was legal in America and he thought it was here too.

CCTV footage showed Tinkler leaving the Falcon’s Nest in his car.

He was subsequently charged with possession of cannabis and failing to provide a breath sample.

The prosecution are also claiming costs of £1,750 after Tinkler initially pleaded not guilty and a trial had been set to take place.