A 21-year-old Douglas man has admitted assaulting two men during a fracas outside a nightclub.

Jamie Patrick Devine, of Kensington Road, will face a Newton Hearing on June 1 to settle disputed facts in the case after he admitted punching the men but denied headbutting one.

Prosecutor Michael Jelski told the court how, on January 6 at 3.20am, Devine was with a group of friends outside the Outback nightclub.

Staff had suggested he leave the area due to his aggressive behaviour and he walked off towards Victoria Street.

However, Devine was then seen to punch a man who he had been arguing with earlier.

The man pushed him away and ran off but Devine went after him, causing him to fall on the ground where he kicked him and aimed a series of punches at him.

The victim was said to have suffered a cut lip and black eye.

Devine was then seen scuffling with a second man and Outback security staff separated the pair.

However, Devine was said to have punched this man knocking two of his teeth, headbutted him and kicked him.

Police arrived and found Devine being restrained. He tried to flee the scene but was caught and told police: ’He hit me first.’

In a police interview Devine said that the first man had hit him first and that kicking him had been a pre-emptive strike as he feared he was going to be attacked himself.

He denied headbutting the second man.

He was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil handed in a basis of plea for her client in which Devine said the first man had been very rude to his friend and a scuffle had started.

Devine said he had kicked his leg into the scuffle but conceded that he knew his victim was on the ground.

He said that there were punches thrown by all parties.

Of the second assault Devine said that the complainant had grabbed him beside the Christmas tree and he claimed he had never seen him before.

He said that both he and his victim threw punches but accepted he had knocked two teeth out of his victim’s mouth.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ruled that the difference between the prosecution and defence accounts regarding the headbutt would make a material difference to sentencing and the Newton Hearing would be necessary.