An 18-year-old from Douglas who broke into a stranger’s house has been fined and given a probation order.

Isaac Nathan Cain was sentenced by High Bailiff Jayne Hughes on Tuesday having pleaded guilty the day before when he appeared in front of Deputy High Bailiff Chris Arrowsmith.

The court heard that the owner of a house in Braddan rang the police at 11.45pm on June 5, saying her home had been broken into. She said her tenant had heard a noise and found Cain trying to enter the property.

Officers arrived and found Cain with cuts to his hands and thighs which were said to be ’consistent’ with being caused by broken glass. They arrested Cain for burglary.

He told officers he wasn’t sure whose house he had broken into.

As well as breaking two panes of glass, he also damaged a glass cabinet and got blood on various surfaces including a rug.

Prosecutor Hazel Caroon said that Cain had previously tried to enter another house nearby, but in that case he had rung the doorbell and asked to enter before being turned away by the owner.

He told officers he had tried to go to his dad’s house as he ’felt depressed’ while staying at Tromode House and in his drunk state, he believed he was trying to enter his dad’s home.

Probation officer Sarah Proudlove, who has been working with Cain, was asked to address the court by Mrs Hughes. She said Cain was a ’very intelligent young man’ who was studying for his A-levels and hoped to go to university. Mrs Proudlove said that he was being supported by his teachers at Ballakermeen.

While she had seen a ’very positive difference’ when he moved into Tromode House, he ’had periods where he is unwell’ and suffers from acute anxiety.

She told Mrs Hughes there is ’no quick fix’ for Cain but advised a probation order would assist him. Shesaid she hoped the night he spent in custody at the prison would be a ’very important wake-up call’.

Mrs Hughes agreed and said that Mrs Proudlove had ’gone above and beyond’ in trying to help him.

Advocate Stephen Wood said Cain ’better appreciate her efforts’.

The High Bailiff advised Cain to ’take all support on offer to you’ and that there is ’no reason’ he couldn’t achieve his aim of attending university but did tell him that he needed to be aware the charge was a serious one.

She said it was ’in effect a break in’ that must’ve been ’extremely frightening’ for the owner.

She sentenced Cain to a two-year probation order and ordered him to pay £500 in compensation to the home owner and £125 costs.