A man who was taking the law into his own hands when he inadvertently hit a woman in the face with a baseball cap in Shoprite has been fined.

Robert William James Houghton had gone into the store on January 20 to confront a group of youths who he said had been banging on the door of his home in College Street, Ramsey.

Magistrates heard the 41-year-old removed the cap from one of the youths and hit him with it.

But as an employee put her hand on him from behind he turned and hit her across the face with the cap.

Prosecutor Rachael Braidwood said the strike caused reddening to the woman’s face.

When interviewed by police he refused to answer questions. The youth concerned did not want to make a complaint but he admitted knocking on Houghton’s door and running away. Houghton had previously pleaded not guilty to common assault but on Thursday changed his plea to guilty.

Advocate Ian Kermode handed in a basis of plea for his client saying that when he turned around he had thought it was one of the youths behind him rather than an employee.

Mr Kermode said that the incident was part of a long-standing issue Houghton was experiencing with a group of youths in Ramsey.

’Mr Houghton has made dozens of complaints to the police that his house has been "egged" and he has been abused in the street,’ said the advocate.

’There have been discussions with the local council about installing CCTV.

’What we see is another example of him being victimised and him taking the law into his own hands.’

He added: ’Mr Houghton is still making reports to the police that he is constantly picked on and abused.’

Houghton was fined £200 and ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs.