A man who assaulted a pub licensee at the Haven in Port Erin has been sentenced to community service.

Rabelani Collen Nyamande pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm after punching the man, cutting his lip, during a struggle.

The 24-year-old also admitted two counts of common assault against a man and woman in the pub after he said he was racially abused.

He was said to have spat at the woman and bitten the man.

Magistrates ordered him to do 120 hours’ unpaid work and pay £200 compensation to the licensee.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that Nyamande was at the Haven on September 11 last year at 11pm.

He was seen stumbling and was told by the licensee that he was no longer going to be served alcohol.

altercation

Nyamande, who lives at The Level in Colby, was then seen in a verbal altercation with a male outside the toilets.

A woman came out of the toilets and Nyamande was said to have spat in her face, then pushed the male against the wall and bit him on the cheek.

The licensee stepped in, taking hold of Nyamande and escorting him outside.

However, as he was trying to remove Nyamande the two men fell down steps into the car park.

Nyamande was then said to have swung a punch hitting his victim in the mouth and cutting his lip. Police arrived and arrested him.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood entered a basis of plea on behalf of his client in which Nyamande accepted he had assaulted the first male, but said that he had been punched by the man and had been called a racist name.

He said that the woman had then scratched his neck which prompted his assault on her.

Regarding the licensee, Nyamande said that he had been confused when the two men fell on the ground, and had lashed out, because he believed he was going to be assaulted.

Mr Swain said that the basis of plea had initially been rejected with a Newton Hearing to settle the disputed facts planned, but then prosecution witnesses had not turned up so the basis would now be accepted.

Mr Wood said that there had been extreme provocation in relation to the first assault with the ‘N’ word being used against his client.

The advocate said that his client had written a letter of apology to the licensee and had paid over £2,000 as part of his legal aid contribution already.

Magistrates chair Julian Ashcroft told Nyamande: ‘We can appreciate you had some provocation but the designated official was only trying to do his job.’

He will pay the compensation at a rate of £40 per week.