A 62-year-old man who was drunk and abusive while visiting a care home has been put on probation for two years.

Richard Alan Kewley had previously pleaded not guilty to provoking behaviour, but on the day of his trial, changed his plea to guilty.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered him to pay £300 prosecution costs, due to preparation work done for the trial.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that staff at Reayrt ny Baie care home in Douglas called 999 on September 19 at 9.35pm, reporting that Kewley was drunk and being verbally abusive during a visit.

He was said to have been loud and aggressive while seeing a female friend, and at one point staff said that he had tried to give her alcohol, holding a large Strongbow cider bottle up to her face, something which Kewley later denied doing.

The staff asked him to leave but he refused, saying: ‘I’m not leaving. You can’t make me. You can’t make me go. You better not get the police again.’

He was said to be carrying a bag containing cans of alcohol.

Kewley was said to have also been asked to leave the Albert Terrace care home on a previous occasion due to his behaviour.

Police were called and when officers arrived, they found Kewley still at the address and described him as slurring his words and drunk.

He was again asked to leave the property, but he swore at police and told officers: ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

Kewley, who lives at Tynwald Road in Douglas, was eventually arrested and taken to police headquarters.

He was interviewed the following day and admitted he had been intoxicated, but said that he did not believe his behaviour had been unacceptable.

He denied holding a drink to the woman’s mouth and said that he would often help give her a cup of tea or chocolate.

In July last year, Kewley was fined £150 for being found drunk in a public place, and in August 2020 he was fined £250 for being drunk and disorderly.

A probation report said that Kewley had a number of previous convictions related to alcohol.

The report said that, from 1985, up until three-and-a-half years ago, Kewley had lived with the woman he was visiting, as friends.

She had then moved into the care home and Kewley was said to have been lonely.

He told probation that he remembered very little of the visit to the care home due to his intoxication.

The report recommended a period of probation, saying that Kewley would benefit from help with his alcohol use and mental health.

Defence advocate David Reynolds said that his client had been prevented from seeing his friend since the incident in September, which had caused him considerable distress.

‘Alcohol has been something he has struggled with for many years,’ said the advocate.

‘He tells me he had actually given up alcohol but clearly it is something he relies upon at times.’

Mr Reynolds went on to say he hoped probation would be able to arrange for Kewley to start visiting the woman again.

He added: ‘Clearly he is someone who is struggling. He has no form of support whatsoever.’

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes told Kewley: ‘Almost all of your convictions have alcohol in their circumstances.

‘I understand how much you miss visiting your friend but your behaviour on that day was unacceptable.

‘You can’t behave like that in a residential home or anywhere.

‘If you are allowed to go back, you need to be very careful in the future not to be banned again.’

Kewley was ordered to pay the prosecution costs at a rate of £15 per week, deducted from benefits, at the end of his previous fines.