A 24-year-old man this week admitted punching a woman and pulling out her hair during an assault.

Owen Edwin Plaskett then struggled with police during his arrest and they had to use Pava spray to restrain him.

Plaskett had previously pleaded not guilty to common assault on a female and resisting arrest but on Tuesday changed his pleas to guilty.

He will be sentenced on November 9 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that police were called to Victoria Street in Douglas on July 10 at 3.15am after a report of a fight in progress.

When they arrived they were flagged down by a woman who said that she had been punched in the face by Plaskett and he had ripped out a huge clump of her hair.

She said that she had seen two men arguing at the taxi rank, one being Plaskett, and she had asked them to stop arguing.

She said that Plaskett, who lives at Hilltop Rise, Douglas, then pushed her to the ground, held her down and pulled her hair.

Police approached Plaskett, who was still at the scene, and he was said to be smelling of alcohol, slurring his words, and had glazed eyes.

He was arrested but as police put handcuffs on him he tensed up and pulled away.

He continued to struggle and was warned that Pava spray would be used.

However, he was still belligerent and non-compliant and was subsequently put on the ground.

Plaskett then tucked his hands under his body and thrashed around as police tried to handcuff him.

He was eventually restrained using the Pava spray.

Plaskett then started banging his head repeatedly on the cage door in the police van as he was taken to police headquarters and said: ’It was self-defence.’

When interviewed later he claimed he could remember nothing of the night after leaving the Outback.

He said he was ’genuinely shocked’ at the accusation he had assaulted a girl and that something must have been going on that she got involved in.

He apologised to police for his behaviour.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes asked if any injuries had been caused and Ms Carroon said that none had been caused by the punch but there had been a loss of hair.

Mrs Hughes ordered that the probation report consider all sentencing options, including custody.

Bail continues in the sum of £500 with conditions to live at his home address, contact probation, and not leave the island without court permission.