A 45-year-old Ramsey man has been sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge after smashing a glass door during a row with his partner.

Richard Alfred Christian, of Gladstone Avenue, had to have 15 stitches in his arm after he punched the door twice, breaking the pane.

The court heard that Christian had already spent 15 days either on remand or detained by police, the equivalent of a one month prison sentence.

Christian had pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge but not guilty to two counts of common assault and two of provoking behaviour.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court that those charges were being withdrawn as the complainant in the case, Christian’s partner, no longer wished to pursue them, and that the couple had since got back together.

Mr Robinson told the court how, on January 16 at 1.37pm, Christian’s partner made a 999 call from her flat in Kensington Road, Douglas, saying that he was at her address trying to get in. When police arrived he had gone and the woman said she did not want to make a complaint.

However, later that day, at 3.53pm, police received another 999 call from the woman saying that Christian was back, trying to force his way into her flat.

He was said to have banged on the door and shouted, before punching the glass in the door, causing it to shatter.

Police took Christian to hospital where he made the comment: ’She will pay for this’.

In an interview he told police that he had not wanted to scare his partner or cause her harm, but admitted he had got upset and punched the door.

Defending Christian in court, advocate Ian Kermode said: ’My client attended the flat to retrieve £360 in cash and a mobile phone.

’He knocked on the door and she wouldn’t let him in. He accepts he became frustrated and punched the glass panel on the top half of the door. He has torn the ligaments in his forearm.

’He didn’t expect or intend to break the glass. It was a reckless act. He came off the worst. He was wearing a sling for a couple of weeks.

’The threat he made was in the heat of the moment.

’He accepts he is responsible and is very sorry for his actions. He was charged on January 18 and had bail refused on January 24, before appearing again on February 1, plus he spent two days in police custody.’

Magistrates’ chairman Ken Faragher said: ’Normally for a case of criminal damage we would look at a financial penalty.

’However, we are aware you have spent the equivalent of a month in custody and for that reason, we will deal with this by way of a conditional discharge.’