A 49-year-old man has admitted assaulting a woman and smashing the glass in a pub door.

Homer Holmes, of Darragh Way, Douglas, punched the woman mistakenly as he tried to hit a man during a fracas outside the Albert pub near the capital’s bus station.

Holmes was then punched to the ground himself by his girlfriend and paramedics had to be called.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court how, on April 27 at 8.30pm, Holmes was in the Albert pub where he bought a pint of cider.

He was told he could drink the pint outside only if he used a plastic glass,but he was said to be unhappy about this and was clearly drunk.

Holmes refused to put the cider in a plastic glass and told the barmaid: ’You’re not getting the glass, I’m drinking it.’ He then swore.

At his point he was outside the pub and other customers stopped him from going back in. This angered Holmes more and he then punched the glass in the door, smashing it.

By now, several youths had come out of nearby Café Laare, which is run by the Department of Education Youth Service, in Lord Street to witness the incident.

Mr Swain said that it could not be denied that some of the youths were enjoying the spectacle and were goading Holmes. At this point two youth club workers - a man and a woman - went out and tried to intervene.

However, things escalated and Holmes then tried to punch the man but missed and hit the woman instead, knocking her to the ground.

Holmes was said to have continued trying to punch people but was then punched by his partner who knocked him to the ground where he lay until paramedics arrived.

Cars and passers by were said to be stopping to witness the continuing fracas.

Paramedics roused Holmes but he refused to go to hospital and was subsequently arrested.

He admitted punching the door of the pub but said he would never deliberately hit a woman and this had been a reckless act during which he had intended to punch the man.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ruled that a probation report should be prepared before sentencing which will take place on May 22.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500.

lIn a separate case before Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes, a 52-year-old Laxey woman appeared in court charged with failing to comply with an enforcement notice. Catriona Sharkey, of Ramsey Road, had the case against her adjourned to June 12.

Her husband, Hugh Patrick Sharkey, aged 54, also of Ramsey Road, is jointly charged with the offence but was unable to appear.

His case was also adjourned until June 12.