A teenager from Douglas who broke into a family’s home carrying a knife has been jailed for three years.

Brian Graham Lowther, of Hillside Terrace, admitted committing aggravated burglary after taking cocaine and ecstasy while on a two-day drink and drugs ’bender’.

Lowther, who is 19, said he had been looking for a man who owed him a £900 gambling debt.

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie said while passing sentence: ’This was a terrifying ordeal for all those in that property. You are extremely fortunate your intended victim was not in the property. You may have been facing an even more serious charge.’

Prosecutor Richard Butters told the court how, on July 22 at 8am, a woman was at her home in Springfield Road in Pulrose with her husband and a seven-year-old child.

She heard a bang at the back door as it was opened with force and heard Lowther come in shouting: ’Where’s David?’ Lowther burst into a bedroom and pulled a duvet off the bed continuing to shout: ’Where’s David? He owes me money. Where is he?’

The family, who knew Lowther, told him to get out of the house.

They said he was acting erratically and appeared to be under the influence of something.

Lowther then began asking where David’s watches were.

The family told Lowther the person he was looking for did not live there.

Lowther continued his anger shouting: ’He owes me £900. I’m taking the telly.’

The court heard when he started to pick up the television the woman noticed he had a knife in his hand with a blade longer than four inches.

The family eventually gave Lowther an address for ’David’ and he left. But a short time later he returned, appearing at a window.

He picked up a plant pot and threatened to smash the window before kicking the back door. The woman opened the door and Lowther then began demanded to know which number ’David’ lived at.

The woman said she was fearful due to previously seeing the knife and told him the number. Lowther then left the scene repeating the number to himself as he went.

A neighbour later said Lowther had thrown a child’s scooter at her window.

The knife was later found discarded in a hedge in Springfield Road. Lowther was arrested at EVF filling station on Peel Road and was said to have still appeared intoxicated and under the influence of drugs. As he was being taken to custody the teen threatened to rip a police officer’s head off.

Cocaine

When interviewed, Lowther admitted being at Springfield Road but denied having a knife. But in court he entered a basis of plea accepting that he had the weapon.

He said he had taken ecstasy and cocaine and been drinking vodka before the incident.

Advocate Ian Kermode said: ’Mr Lowther fully accepts the occupiers were put in a state of alarm and panic by his presence and the knife.

’He had been out partying for two nights prior to the commission of the offence. He was feeling the effects of the consumption of drugs and alcohol and had not slept for two nights.’

He added: ’He didn’t wield the knife. He had it in his hand but he did not threaten anyone with it. He has self-referred to the Drug and Alcohol Team.’

Deemster Montgomerie told him: ’You are still a very young man and will still be when you come out of prison.

’You’ve committed an appalling offence.

’No family should have to undergo what that family did.’