A 39-year-old has been fined £200 for common assault after he pushed a man in Jaks bar on Christmas Eve.

James Marcus Doherty had previously pleaded guilty to the offence but it was adjourned after a dispute over some of the facts.

A Newton Hearing was due to be held, however the court heard that a basis of plea had been agreed between the prosecution and defence advocates without the need for the hearing.

We previously reported that, on December 24, the victim was entering Jaks as Doherty was being escorted out of the Granville Street pub by security staff.

The two men had not met before, but the victim had claimed that Doherty shoulder barged him, then grabbed him around the throat and threw him back against the wall in an unprovoked attack, which Doherty denied.

Door staff called the police and Doherty, who lives in Thomas Keig Road in Douglas, was arrested.

During a police interview he answered ‘no comment’ to questions.

Doherty admitted common assault but on the basis that he had only pushed the man in the lower neck or top of the chest, rather than grabbing him, and that he had not thrown him against the wall.

barged

He said he had done this after they barged shoulders and the other man had said something.

This basis was accepted by the prosecution.

In August 2022, Doherty was fined £600 for resisting arrest.

Talking about the latest offence, defence advocate Ian Kermode said: ‘This was a very low-level common assault.

‘No more than a hand-off in the doorway.

‘When I looked at the CCTV footage it was simply a hand-off, no more than that.’

Mr Kermode asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and said that Doherty wanted to apologise to the victim for what he said was a spontaneous act.

The advocate said that Doherty worked part-time in property maintenance.

Magistrates also ordered Doherty to pay £125 costs.

Chair of the magistrates David Craine said: ‘We appreciate this is a low-level offence.’

He will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £10 per week.