A woman needed five stitches after she was punched by her then boyfriend.

Charlton Andrew Gary Watterson, aged 23, of Empire Terrace, Douglas, pleaded guilty to assault causing actualy bodily harm on Tuesday after previously denying the offence.

He also admitted other offences of handling stolen goods, being a passenger in a vehicle taken without consent, possession of a class C drug and two counts of theft.

Watterson will be sentenced on April 23 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court that Watterson’s then girlfriend reported being assaulted by him at his home on February 18.

She said that he was reading a letter and she had asked him to pass her a can after both had been drinking.

The woman said Watterson suddenly punched her in the face causing a laceration which later required five stitches at Noble’s Hospital.

She then said he grabbed a butter knife and held it to the side of her neck, something which he denied doing.

Meanwhile, Mr Robinson said a Mercedes Vito was taken from an address at Port-e-Chee Avenue in Douglas in the early hours of October 22.

DNA

It was later found abandoned near Hawarden Drive but DNA from a cigarette butt left in the car led police to Watterson although he was not the driver of the car.

When arrested police found three Alprazolam tablets in Watterson’s possession.

A search of his address at Bradda Guest House on Rosemount, where Watterson was living at the time, found numerous make-up and tanning products.

The items were identified as having been stolen during a burglary at Elements of Beauty in Onchan.

Watterson told police he was asked to look after the items by a friend but was unaware they were stolen.

On November 1 Watterson was seen by staff walking out of the Co-op at Prospect Terrace in Douglas without paying for a bottle of wine which he hid in his coat.

On January 21, Watterson was captured on CCTV footage leaving EVF filling station on Peel Road with another bottle of wine.

Remanded

A basis of plea was entered by defence advocate Ian Kermode saying that Watterson accepted punching the woman once but no weapon was used and there was no other violence.

He also accepted that he believed that the make-up items were stolen.

Mr Kermode asked for a probation report to be compiled with input from the drug and alcohol team.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered that the report consider all options, including custody.

No bail application was made and Watterson was remanded in custody.