Two Douglas men have been sentenced to probation and community service after a late-night assault.

Tomas Gear and Nathan Halsall, both 31, had previously admitted common assault.

Homophobic comments were alleged to have been made during the incident.

Appearing for sentencing on June 23, Gear was sentenced to 140 hours community service, while Halsall was put on probation for a year.

Both men have also been ordered to pay the victim £500 each in compensation.

They initially spoke amicably to a group containing Gear and Halsall.

However, a verbal argument developed, during which the victim and the woman said that derogatory remarks were made about their sexuality.

The female then took out her phone and started filming, which prompted one of the defendants to knock it out of her hand.

The victim was cornered against the Wallis Store window and comments were said to have again been made about sexuality.

The victim struck the man who had cornered him, to try to get him off him, but Gear was then said to have kicked him in the genitals, causing him to fall to the floor.

Halsall was then speaking to him, but said to have suddenly punched the victim in the face.

Police arrived and Halsall was arrested at the scene, while Gear was arrested the next day.

When interviewed Gear claimed that he had been threatened, and that he didn’t recall saying anything homophobic, and Halsall claimed the other male was the aggressor.

Gear also admitted criminal damage to a police cell, caused when he threw wet paper towels at a camera, which meant the cell needed to be cleaned.

A probation report said that Gear had been dealing with a bereavement and he said he shouldn’t have gone out that night.

He said that he and Halsall had been in separate groups, and he had only kicked the victim in response to him punching a friend.

The report said that Gear had not been in a good headspace, and combined with alcohol, it hadn't been a good mix.

During their sentencing, Gear was represented by advocate Jim Travers, while Helen Lobb appeared for Halsall.

Mr Travers said that his client had no previous convictions and asked for credit to be given for his guilty plea.

The advocate said no lasting injury had been caused, and his client had not started the incident.

Mr Travers said that the bereavement issue had been in the background and Gear had been encouraged to go out by friends but now regretted doing so.

Ms Lobb said that Halsall had said not a day goes by when he didn’t regret the incident.

The advocate said that her client had been on bail for some time now with no further incidents.

Both men were also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs each.

Gear, of York Road, will pay within two months, while Halsall, of Alder Road, will pay £50 per month.