A 21-year-old man has admitted spitting at police and threatening to ’smack’ a shop worker.

Lewis Jack Moulder Kelly pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, provoking behaviour, and threatening behaviour when he appeared in court this week via video link from the prison.

He will be sentenced in summary court on August 3 after a probation report has been prepared.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that police were called to Graih on Broadway on June 4 after staff reported Kelly had been threatening to stab someone and kicking a door.

Officers arrived and found Kelly outside the property and he was subsequently arrested.

Staff at Graih said that Kelly had been shouting at someone in Glen Falcon Gardens and had then kicked in the homeless shelter’s door.

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He was then seen kicking a car and saying: ’I’m going to go and get a knife and stab somebody.’

When interviewed Kelly, of Sydney Street, Douglas, told police he was so drunk he did not remember the incident.

He said he liked the staff at Graih and would not have wanted to have caused them any worry.

On June 26, a woman working in Spar in Anagh Coar called the police after being abused by Kelly.

She said that Kelly was in the shop with another male who was staggering around. She heard Kelly say: ’Shall we get a bottle of vodka?’

Due to her concerns the woman told Kelly that she wouldn’t serve them.

This sparked a verbal onslaught from Kelly as he swore at her and said: ’I’m going to smack you one in a minute.’

The men left the shop and the woman said she was in tears after the incident.

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Kelly was arrested again but while in custody became abusive towards police threatening to spit at them.

He then lowered a mask he was wearing and spat at one officer with the spittle landing on their face mask, before he was put on the ground and restrained.

When interviewed Kelly said he was drunk again and ’having a bad day’.

He said he had drunk two bottles of vodka mixed with cola and Lucozade.

Kelly said that he started drinking as soon as he woke up and would class himself as an alcoholic.

The court heard that he has previous convictions for two assaults and provoking behaviour in December 2020.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said that the prosecution facts were accepted and asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing.

Mr Wood said that Kelly was making no bail application as he believed if he was released he would be tempted to go drinking.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered that the probation report consider all sentencing options, including custody.