A mental health support worker has been sentenced to 180 hours of community service after she punched a woman in a nightclub.

Courtenay Michelle Hall, of Samuel Webb Crescent, Douglas, caused £2,214 worth of damage to her victim’s tooth.

Hall, who is 21, denied committing assault causing actual bodily harm at the Courthouse bar in Douglas on February 11 last year but was found guilty after a trial.

The victim suffered a split lip and broken front tooth.

Advocate Paul Rodgers said Hall had spent £8,400 funding her defence during the trial and asked for that to be taken into account.

Mr Rodgers said the offence involved one punch which had knocked the woman to the ground and it was unclear whether the victim’s tooth had been damaged by the punch or by the fall.

The advocate said Hall had stayed out of licensed premises since that night.

’She is a professional person which will have been gleaned from the references. She is a mental health support worker and really enjoys that job.

’She is very concerned this could affect her career. The company has supported her, despite the guilty finding of the court.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said she would step away from a custodial sentence due to Hall’s previous good character, the fact it was a single punch and her references.

Hall was ordered to pay her victim’s dental fees, £1,000 in compensation and £1,000 in prosecution costs.