A man from Castletown who spat blood in the face of a policewoman has been jailed for eight months.

Michael John Kewley, of Northcroft Apartments, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly, assaulting a police officer and resisiting arrest and was also banned from entering licensed premises for nine months.

The 36-year-old was sentenced to eight months’ custody for the assault and two months for resisting arrest, to run concurrently, with no separate penalty made for the drunk and disorderly offence.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said while passing sentence: ’You have a string of offences, all offences of assaulting police officers in some form or other.

’You reacted in a violent manner towards police as you have done in the past. It seems you’re a different person when intoxicated.

’Anyone convicted of assaulting police can expect immediate custody. A very clear message has to go out that police officers will be protected by the courts.’

We previously reported how, on December 23 at 11pm, police were called to the British Hotel in Douglas after Kewley claimed he had been assaulted.

When police arrived they found Kewley outside. He was said to be highly intoxicated, slurring his words.

While officers were speaking to pub staff Kewley became verbally abusive to both the police and the staff.

He was arrested but refused to get in a police van, thrashing his legs around and swearing.

Pava spray was used but this still did not stop Kewley and during a five-minute struggle he spat in the face of a policewoman.

Although Kewley had pleaded guilty to the offences he disputed that he had deliberately spat at the policewoman.

However, a Newton Hearing was held to settle the dispute at which Mrs Hughes ruled that the spit had been deliberately aimed at the officer.

Defending Kewley in court, his advocate Roger Kane said: ’Mr Kewley lives a somewhat socially isolated life. He has been working with the Drug and Alcohol Team and was set a challenge to perhaps go out and mix with people more. So that’s what he did, but he accepts he drank too much.

’He was walking to the bus and decided to go in to the British to say goodbye to some friends. He accepts he was ejected.

’He had sustained a significant facial injury and was in a highly distressed state. He couldn’t understand why police were not doing what he had expected. But had he been sober he would have acted differently.

’He does have an extensive previous history but this is the only offending in the last two and a half years.’