A kickboxing coach has been put on probation for 18 months and given a one year restraining order.

David Lee Pearson admitted posting a public message on Facebook which intended to cause harm.

The 37-year-old wrote a derogatory post in a public group about a family member.

We previously reported that Pearson was issued with a Police Information Notice (PIN) on April 28, in relation to unwanted contact with a woman.

These are sometimes issued as an initial warning notice to individuals, where there have been allegations of harassment.

However, just hours after receiving the PIN, Pearson wrote and published a public post in a large Isle of Man Facebook group, saying: ‘How do I report a childminder for abusing kids?’.

He also added the woman’s name to the Facebook post.

The defendant, who lives at Thomas Keig Road, was subsequently arrested, and when interviewed by police, answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

A probation report said that Pearson claimed he had drunk half a bottle of whisky before writing the Facebook post.

He said that he had been angry about social media comments he claimed had been made about him, but admitted that his judgement had been clouded by alcohol.

The report said that Pearson now had a support worker in relation to his binge drinking.

His probation officer said that he was smelling of alcohol during their meeting, and Pearson admitted he had also drunk half a bottle of whisky the night before he was due to appear in court.

He said that he had now been prescribed medication to stop him drinking.

The report said that Pearson was unemployed, but had an interview coming up, and had been working six hours a week as a kickboxing coach.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said that there had been issues between the defendant and his family member for a couple of years.

Mr Kermode said that they had been posting comments about each other.

‘Upon reflection, Mr Pearson fully accepts he should have dealt with things in a different way,’ said the advocate.

‘He has been struggling with his mental health and to manage his emotions.’

Mr Kermode went on to ask for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and said that Pearson has spent two nights in custody after his arrest.

He added that the defendant was estranged from his family member but hoped that, in the passage of time, there may be a reconciliation.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told Pearson: ‘The offence was aggravated by the fact that, having been issued with the Police Information Notice that day, a very short time later you chose to put this post on social media about her, referring to her livelihood.’

Ms Braidwood referred to a victim impact statement, in which the woman said that the post had caused her a great deal of stress, worry, and anxiety, and could have impacted on her livelihood.

Pearson must also pay £125 prosecution costs.