A teenager who tried to spray furniture polish in a neighbour’s eyes after a bird bath barney has been put on probation for a year.

Connor Lewis-Drew damaged the bird bath as well as a garden gate after 'flipping'.

The 19-year-old admitted common assault and two counts of property damage.

He was also bound over to keep the peace for 12 months in relation to a domestic abuse offence, which was subsequently withdrawn after he agreed to the binding order.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that the complainant in the case heard a loud bang in her garden at Close Ollay in Ramsey, on August 14, at 11.50pm.

She said she believed it was her bird bath being broken.

She then heard another bang which was the gate being slammed and damaged.

When she looked outside, she said she saw Lewis-Drew leaving.

She went to the teenager’s home and was let in by his mother.

Lewis-Drew was there and told the neighbour: ‘That’s what you get for all the f****** knocking.’

She told him she had not been knocking, but they then argued and Lewis-Drew picked up a can of furniture polish and said: ‘How about this for your f****** eyes.’

He tried to spray it in her face but she put her hands up and the spray only went on her hands.

Police were called and found that both the bird bath and gate had been damaged.

The defendant was subsequently arrested.

His mother also made domestic abuse allegations against him.

During an interview at police headquarters, Lewis-Drew admitted damaging the bird bath and gate, claiming that the neighbour was listening in on him and knocking on the wall.

He said he had ‘flipped’ and was going to throw a slab through her window but then had second thoughts.

Lewis-Drew claimed that the neighbour had then ‘charged’ round to his house.

He admitted spraying her, but said he had not intended to cause her harm.

The court heard that the defendant had spent 10 days in custody while on remand.

High Bailiff James Brooks said that he was minded to follow the recommendation of a probation report, for a supervision order.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor agreed and asked the court to follow that recommendation, saying that probation services would be able to give Lewis-Drew some help.

Mr Taylor said that the teenager was currently living at the probation accommodation, Tromode House, and would then be rehabilitated into independent living, but had no plans to return to the family home.

High Bailiff James Brooks told the defendant: ‘Your offending does appear to have been the result of getting into a rage.

‘I have heard you have perhaps been provoked but to take a spray can and to spray it in the victim’s eyes must have been terrifying.’

Lewis-Drew was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs, at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.