A 38-year-old man charged with assaulting two police officers has changed his pleas to guilty the day before his trial.

Donovan Bradley Kitching had previously pleaded not guilty to the two assault allegations as well as resisting arrest.

But with a trial set to take place on Wednesday, March 15, Kitching changed his pleas to guilty on Tuesday.

He will be sentenced in summary court on April 25 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that police were initially called to an address at Tynwald Street, Douglas, where Kitching was living, on January 12, after a man reported an assault.

However, the alleged victim later decided he did not want to make a formal complaint against Kitching.

But as Kitching was being arrested for the alleged assault, he was said to have grabbed two police officers by the neck during a struggle, after he had been Pava sprayed.

Kitching admitted the assaults but entered a basis of plea, saying that he had been reckless after being blinded by the spray.

He said he had not deliberately targeted the officers when he grabbed them and that six officers had arrived at his home at 8am, when he was tired and confused, and had also taken prescription medication.

He said that any injuries had not been caused deliberately but he accepted he could have complied sooner.

One of the officers was said to have suffered minor scratches to the neck and arms during the scuffle.

Mr Swain said that the fracas had taken place in an enclosed space in the doorway while Kitching was pushed against a wall, and that the basis of plea was accepted.

Defence advocate David Reynolds asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing with input from a psychiatrist.

Bail continues in the sum of £500 with conditions to live at a bail address at Poacher’s Pocket in Ballasalla, contact probation and co-operate in the preparation of the report.

Kitching was jailed for 10 years in October 2014 after he admitted causing the death of Gwen Valentine, who was walking in the countryside, by dangerous driving.

At the time of the accident, he was under licence, having been released from jail three weeks earlier after serving a six-year sentence for aggravated burglary.

He is also currently required to wear an electronic tag and obey a curfew as part of his early release licence conditions.