A 33-year-old who punched a man five times during a brawl outside 1886 bar has been fined £1,000 for assault causing actual bodily harm.

Caleb James Machonna Stowell admitted the offence but said that he had been headbutted by the man moments earlier.

He was initially charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm, but that charge was withdrawn and replaced by the ABH.

Magistrates also ordered Stowell to pay £125 costs.

The man who Stowell punched has pleaded not guilty to a charge of common assault in relation to the same incident during a previous court appearance with his case heading towards a trial.

We previously reported that Stowell and the man were unknown to each other but were both outside 1886 bar in Regent Street in Douglas on November 27 at 8.45pm.

The other man was alleged to have been involved in a verbal argument with a friend of Stowell, with Stowell then intervening.

The man is then alleged to have headbutted Stowell which resulted in security staff separating the pair.

Stowell, who lives at Cronk y Berry View in Douglas, was ushered towards Strand Street while the other man was moved towards the promenade.

However, while security were dealing with another person, Stowell walked around them and started grappling with the man again.

They fell to the ground and Stowell was said to have punched him in the face five times, causing bruising to his eye and a cut to his face, before walking off.

The court heard that both men had declined to make a complaint so evidence had been based on CCTV footage.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil handed in letters of reference for her client as well as a letter from Stowell himself.

Ms Cooil asked the court to consider that there had been no complaint made and that the other party was also facing an assault charge.

‘It happened in a very short timeframe,’ said the advocate. ‘Mr Stowell attempted to de-escalate an argument at which point he was headbutted.

‘He accepts he should have left it to the door staff.’

The advocate went on to ask for credit to be given for her client’s guilty plea and for his admissions in a police interview.

A probation report assessed Stowell as a low risk of reoffending and his last conviction was said to be in 2007.

Magistrates ordered him to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £250 per month.