A man who hit his victim in the face and then ran from police has been sentenced to 80 hours of community service.

Richard Terrance Thwaites, of Rosemount, Douglas, was restrained using Pava spray.

Thwaites, aged 24, admitted being drunk and disorderly, resisting arrest, and possessing cannabis.

Prosecutor Richard Butters told magistrates how, on June 9 at 3.40am, Thwaites was seen swearing among a group of men near Athol Street in Douglas, before hitting one of them in the face.

Officers moved Thwaites away from the group but he ran off to Shaw’s Brow car park where he tried to hide under a vehicle. He was spotted but then ran off again towards the railway station.

There, Thwaites struggled with police, kicking out and pulling away until he had to be restrained with Pava spray.

Advocate Jane Gray said her client had been outside smoking when a group of men had squared up to him: ’He felt threatened, he had had a couple of drinks but should have walked away.

’He then panicked and ran away. He made an error of judgement due to being under the influence of alcohol.’

Meanwhile, Thwaites was found with cannabis worth £44 when officers searched his home on June 15. He had thrown the cannabis out of a window when police arrived.

Thwaites told police he had panicked.