A teenager who set off a fire alarm at a takeaway in Castletown has been fined £300.

James Eden Creer, of Y Vaarney Yiarg, pleaded guilty to charges of damaging property and causing a false fire alarm.

He appeared before magistrates last week.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that the 17-year-old was at the Victoria Grill on Malew Street at 11.45pm on September 28.

There was a fight between his friends and another group which he was not involved in but as they left the takeaway Creer deliberately smashed the glass in a fire alarm with his elbow, striking it a number of times.

This activated the alarm for the whole of Callow’s Yard complex.

The manager of the takeaway cancelled the call-out before any emergency services were deployed.

Defence advocate Deborah Myerscough said that Creer had attended a police station voluntarily afterwards and handed in a prepared statement accepting responsibility and apologising for the inconvenience.

’It was an immature and silly piece of behaviour,’ he said.

’He wasn’t involved in the other things that went on but he understands this sort of behaviour can have an impact.

’There have been no further incidents since September.’

Magistrates chair Lisa Horton told Creer: ’It was an immature and extremely irresponsible act. If the manager had not acted as quickly there could have been a call-out when fire crews may have been needed somewhere else.’

Creer was also ordered to pay £20 compensation for damaging the alarm and £50 prosecution costs.

He will pay the compensation and costs at a rate of £10 per week deducted from benefits.