A 38-year-old who assaulted a man in a car park and took £500 from his wallet has been sentenced to community service.

Paul James Fielding claimed that he had been previously bullied by the man over a number of years.

After the kitchen porter pleaded guilty to common assault and theft, Deputy High Bailiff James Brooks sentenced him to 80 hours community service.

He was also ordered to pay £330 compensation to the victim, as £170 had already been recovered by police.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that Fielding, who lives at Erin Crescent in Port Erin, saw the other man in a car park in Port Erin on October 12 at 11.30am.

The two first became involved in a verbal altercation, but then Fielding was said to have launched a flurry of punches at the man that put him on the ground.

The man punched back and members of the public separated the pair as Fielding shouted: ‘Who’s the King of the North now?’

He was then said to have swung more punches at the man whose wallet fell out of his pocket onto the ground.

Fielding then picked up the wallet and took out the cash, which totalled £500, before dropping the wallet and running off.

Police attended the scene and at first the other man said that he wanted to deal with the matter via a mutual agreement if he got the money back.

However, when officers went to Fielding’s home, he gave them only £40 initially, then said that he had a further £130 upstairs.

He claimed he had taken the money out of the bank but as it was not all returned, the victim decided to pursue a complaint.

During a police interview, Fielding handed in a prepared statement claiming that the man had bullied him and others for around 21 years.

Fielding said: ‘I wanted him to feel the same as he made me feel.’

Of the money taken, he said he did not know why he had taken it.

A probation report said that there had been a long-running feud between the two men and that Fielding said he had been goaded by the other man.

The report said that community service would give Fielding focus and structure.

Defence advocate Paul Rodgers said that his client had not been in any trouble for almost 20 years.

Mr Rodgers asked the court to follow the recommendation of the probation report for community service.

Deputy High Bailiff Mr Brooks told Fielding: ‘Whether goaded or not, I accept there was a long-time feud.

‘But sometimes it takes the bigger man to walk away.’

Fielding will pay the compensation and costs at a rate of £10 per week.