A teenager who made threats to damage property during an online spat has been sentenced to 80 hours’ community service.

Jason Haswell admitted the offence and was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs.

Haswell, who is 19 and lives in Windermere Drive, Onchan, got involved in an argument online with a former friend, on June 21.

He was using Snapchat and made threats to damage property belonging to the other man and sent a photo, and a video of him driving to the location.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and admissions made in a police interview.

Mr Taylor said that Haswell and the other party had been exchanging threats via messages.

‘He knows that two wrongs don’t make a right,’ said the advocate.

Mr Taylor said that no complaint had been made by the man who owned the property, but a third party friend had reported the matter.

‘It is strange why he has sought to intervene, but he has done,’ said the advocate.

‘Mr Haswell accepts he should have gone to the police instead of making threats.

‘He would never have carried out the threats and I’m sure the other party wasn’t going to carry out their threats.’

A probation report assessed Haswell as a low risk of reoffending and of harm to others.

Mr Taylor handed in letters of reference for his client.

The court heard that the defendant has no previous convictions.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she had taken into account that there had been no face-to-face threats.

Haswell was ordered to pay the prosecution costs by September 1.