A 30-year-old Douglas man who assaulted a paramedic and kicked a police van has been sentenced to community service and probation.

Christopher Denis De Vos initially pleaded not guilty to common assault and property damage, but then changed his pleas to guilty at the pre-trial review stage.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered him to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and put him on probation for two years.

He must also pay £250 compensation to the paramedic and £185 for damaging the police van.

De Vos was also banned from entering licensed premises, and buying or being sold alcohol for 12 months.

The offences were committed on October 2 when paramedics were called to Market Street in Douglas after De Vos was said to have collapsed due to intoxication.

He was then said to have punched one of the paramedics on the thigh and threatened to ‘break their legs’ and ‘murder them’.

De Vos then kicked out at a police vehicle, causing damage assessed at £185.

The court heard that De Vos has previous convictions related to alcohol and violence in 2013 and 2014, but his last conviction was in 2017, and was not of a similar nature.

Defence advocate James Peterson said: ‘Mr De Vos is deeply sorry for his offending and wishes me to apologise to the victims, especially the paramedic who was simply doing his job at the time.

‘He appreciates his behaviour was entirely unacceptable.

‘In respect of both of these matters we would submit that drinking alcohol was clearly an issue.

‘He was drinking to excess.’

Mr Peterson said that his client was in a relationship at the time, and was working on licensed premises.

‘He has got his drinking under control,’ said the advocate. ‘He now works as a scaffolder and is no longer in the drinks trade or in that relationship. That has helped him move away from the route he was going down.’

Mr Peterson referred to a psychiatric report and probation report, details of which he said he would not go into in open court.

The probation report recommended that De Vos would benefit from support.

Mr Peterson continued: ‘We would agree with the report. Probation and the support it would give would be of great assistance to Mr De Vos.

‘He also feels he would benefit from a licensing ban as an additional protective measure. It would be another barrier in the way of him going back to his previous behaviour.’

The advocate said that the assault on the paramedic had been relatively low level with minimal injury, which had been sparked by alcohol and an overreaction to being restrained.

‘He is deeply afraid of custody,’ said Mr Peterson. ‘That is a significant factor in preventing him committing further offences. He doesn’t wish to go to prison for any reason.’

De Vos, who lives at Mona Drive, was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs and will pay all amounts at a rate of £30 per week.