A 35-year-old who followed a woman and then tried to stop her going into a police station has been sentenced to community service.

Jamie David Curphey asked the victim to go to his house then grabbed her as she tried to get help.

He admitted common assault on a female and was ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work by High Bailiff Jayne Hughes.

Curphey, who lives at Bowring Road in Ramsey, was also ordered to pay his victim £150 compensation.

Prosecuting advocate Rachael Braidwood told the court that the woman had gone to the Mitre pub in Ramsey on October 2.

She had gone in only to talk to the landlord.

Curphey was in the bar and was said to have acted ‘flirtatiously’ towards the woman.

She left the Mitre and started to walk home but then noticed that Curphey was behind her.

He then started suggesting that they go to his house.

The woman told Curphey that she had a boyfriend and was not interested, but he was then said to have forced her into an embrace and attempted to kiss her.

She said she did not go home as she did not want Curphey to see where she lived, but she went to the police station instead to seek help.

However, Curphey continued to follow her along West Quay.

Once she reached the police station car park, Curphey took hold of her again and tried to pull her away.

She managed to reach the public phone outside the station and Curphey left.

The woman said that since the incident she had suffered from anxiety and had had difficulty sleeping.

Curphey was arrested on October 11 and CCTV footage was obtained which showed him taking hold of the victim by the neck and upper body area, pulling her away from the police station.

During an interview Curphey told police he could not recall the incident and said he had drunk a lot of alcohol.

After being shown the CCTV footage he was said to have appeared upset, but maintained that he could not remember anything.

A probation report said that Curphey suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome and had reduced his drinking since his arrest.

The report recommended community service saying that this would be a punishment and would also give Curphey some structure and valuable work experience.

His last conviction was said to be in 2011.

Defence advocate Paul Glover said: ‘This was an unpleasant incident which was deeply disturbing for the victim.’

Mr Glover asked the court to follow the recommendation of the report for community service and confirmed that his client had taken positive steps to reduce his alcohol consumption.

The High Bailiff also ordered prosecution costs of £125 which Curphey will pay, along with the compensation, at a rate of £20 per week, deducted from benefits.