A man who was caught with a knife and cannabis after two assaults has been put on probation for nine months.

Thirty-one-year-old Zachary Morton appeared before magistrates on November 6.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that police received a 999 call from a male on July 2.

He said that Morton was at his house, and was intoxicated, violent, and abusive, and was refusing to leave.

Officers arrived and the defendant agreed to leave, but the male occupant said that he had been pushed by Morton, who he said had been trying to smoke cannabis.

A woman who was present said Morton had spat in her face and been verbally abusive.

At police headquarters, during a search, police found 12.6 grams of cannabis in Morton’s rucksack, as well as a kitchen knife in a sock.

In court, he admitted two counts of common assault, one count of possessing cannabis, and one count of possessing a knife.

Defence advocate Helen Lobb entered a basis of plea on behalf of her client, in which Morton said the kitchen knife had been in his bag since he had been camping, when he was homeless, and he’d used it to prepare food at that time.

He also said he’d not deliberately spat at the woman, but spit had come out of his mouth when he'd been standing close to her.

Ms Lobb referred to a probation report, which assessed Morton, of Clarence Terrace, Douglas, as a low risk of reoffending or harm to the public.

The advocate said that her client had been struggling with alcohol and medication at the time of the offences, but had self-referred to the Drug and Alcohol Team.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £125 prosecution costs at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.