Two men who went looking for a man while carrying a wooden bat were this week fined £750 each.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also banned them both from buying or being sold alcohol for two months.

Oliver James Curran and David Peter James Proctor, who both live in Peel, went to the man’s room at the Marine Hotel at 2.45am.

Proctor claimed the man had assaulted him the previous night which had prompted the pair to go looking for him.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that, on July 12, Proctor was said to have argued with a member of staff at the pub. He was asked to leave and did so.

However, in the early hours he returned with Curran and entered a communal area leading to flats on the premises.

Proctor was said to be carrying a bottle and Curran a wooden rounders bat.

It was said that they hit and kicked the door with one of them shouting: ’I’m going to smash your head in.’

police

Police were called but the pair left prior to officers’ arrival.

However, they were found sitting in a car and were subsequently arrested.

Proctor, who lives in Roxwell Terrace, said that he had drunk eight or nine pints of Carling lager and put himself at six out of 10 when asked how drunk he was. He said that he had been assaulted by the man the previous night and admitted going to his room with Curran.

However, he said they had only knocked at the door, had not shouted and had left when there was no answer.

He originally denied that they had a bat with them.

Curran, who lives in Tynwald Road, told police they had only knocked at the door to speak to the man about the incident from the previous night.

He also denied that they had any weapon but said his son’s bat was in the car.

But after being shown CCTV footage, the defendants admitted having the bat with them, saying the intention was only to scare the man and that they had no intention of using it.

The court heard that Proctor has no previous convictions while Curran has none since 2011.

A probation report said that groundworker Proctor claimed he had been assaulted in a flat above the Marine.

He told probation he had gone there because a female friend had been assaulted previously but then ended up being assaulted himself.

kicked

He maintained that he had not kicked the door.

Curran, who is a gas mains layer, said that they had left the premises when they heard someone inside calling the police, then fell asleep in the car.

Defending Proctor, advocate Deborah Myerscough said that her client had been put on the Peel pub watch scheme as a result of the incident and that the ordeal had been a ’serious reality check’ for him.

Paul Glover, who represented Curran, said: ’Mr Curran knows it wasn’t his matter to get involved in. Out of a mix of alcohol and loyalty to a friend he got involved. A valuable lesson has been learned.’

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes said: ’Alcohol is obviously an aggravating factor. Fortunately the occupant chose to call the police rather than come out.’

Both men were also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs which they will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £50 per week.