A man who spat in the face of a police officer and threatened to ’smack’ a shop worker has been jailed for 32 weeks.

Lewis Jack Moulder Kelly had pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, provoking behaviour, and threatening behaviour with the case being adjourned so that a probation report could be prepared.

On Tuesday, High Bailiff Jayne Hughes sentenced him to 18 weeks’ custody for the police assault and eight for the provoking behaviour.

He was also sentenced to six weeks in relation to a previous sentence for which he had been released early on licence.

All the sentences are to run consecutively.

No separate penalty was made for the threatening behaviour offences.

We previously reported that police were called to Graih on Broadway on June 4 after staff reported Kelly, who lives in Sydney Street, Douglas, had been threatening to stab someone and kicking a door.

Officers arrived and found Kelly outside the property and he was subsequently arrested.

Staff at Graih said that Kelly had been shouting at someone in Glen Falcon Gardens and had then kicked in the homeless shelter’s door.

He was then seen kicking a car and saying: ’I’m going to go and get a knife and stab somebody.’

When interviewed Kelly told police he was so drunk he did not remember the incident.

On June 26, a woman working in Spar in Anagh Coar called the police after being abused by Kelly.

She said that Kelly was in the shop with another male who was staggering around.

She heard Kelly say: ’Shall we get a bottle of vodka?’

Due to her concerns the woman told Kelly that she wouldn’t serve them.

This sparked a verbal onslaught from Kelly as he swore at her and said: ’I’m going to smack you one in a minute.’

The men left the shop and the woman said she was in tears after the incident.

Kelly was arrested again but while in custody became abusive towards police threatening to spit at them.

He then lowered a mask he was wearing and spat at one officer with the spittle landing on their face mask, before he was put on the ground and restrained.

When interviewed Kelly said he was drunk again and ’having a bad day’.

He said he had drunk two bottles of vodka mixed with cola and Lucozade.

Kelly said that he started drinking as soon as he woke up and would class himself as an alcoholic.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood asked the court to follow the recommendation of a probation report which suggested a suspended sentence as an appropriate punishment.

Mr Wood said: ’It is clear Mr Kelly is an immature man of 21 years of age. What’s worse is his apparent reactions when in drink.

’It would seem to turn him into a yob. He accepted it was appropriate for me to call him this in court which is an example of his changing attitude.’

Mr Wood also said that Kelly’s previous decision not to ask for bail due to his own concerns about his drinking was a sign of his developing maturity.

’He probably deserves to be sent to prison for his atrocious behaviour towards police and the Graih staff he normally gets on well with,’ said the advocate.

’But is custody best in the long run? The probation officer doesn’t think so.’

Kelly had previously been given a suspended sentence last September and had then committed further offences in December.

Mr Wood said that his client had not had sufficient time to make progress with probation and wanted to work with Motiv8.

The court heard that Kelly has spent five weeks on remand.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Kelly: ’You accept alcohol turns you into a yob. You are only 21, your record perhaps belies your young age. You have a lot of growing up to do and need to do it very soon.

’You have a problem with alcohol. It not only affects you but is impacting other members of the community.

’A message needs to be sent to you loud and clear that people will be protected from your drunken behaviour.’

Kelly was also banned from entering licensed premises, and buying or being sold alcohol for 12 months.