A Pulrose man who punched an off-duty police officer has been handed a suspended sentence.

Kieran Michael Cain also spat at the man but missed, then threw up before being taken to hospital.

After he admitted common assault and being drunk and disorderly, High Bailiff Jayne Hughes sentenced the 24-year-old to 26 weeks in custody, suspended for two years, and also made him the subject of a two-year suspended sentence supervision order.

Cain was also ordered to pay the police officer £150 compensation.

In our coverage of a previous court appearance, we reported that a member of the public called police due to having concerns over Cain, after seeing him drunk at 3pm on October 24 at Glencrutchery Road in Douglas.

He was seen kicking bins near the pit lane at the Grandstand and then heading onto Ballaquayle Road.

Cain, who lives at Hazel Close, was then seen picking up gravel and stones which he threw at passing cars.

The off-duty policeman was passing and stopped his car to speak to Cain, who he said was smelling of alcohol and cannabis, and was unsteady on his feet and slurring his words.

He called for uniformed officers but Cain tried to walk off so the officer restrained him.

Cain then punched him in the face with his fist and said: ’Where’s your handcuffs then?’

He then spat at the cop but missed, and ended up throwing up.

Cain was taken to hospital due to the state he was in, before later being charged with common assault and being drunk and disorderly.

He said he had not known that the off-duty cop was a police officer.

The court heard that Cain was already subject to a probation order, which was imposed in May 2021, after he caused more than £3,000 worth of damage to windows at the Villa Marina complex.

That probation order had replaced a previous one which was imposed in September 2020 after Cain punched a man in a restaurant.

He is also currently subject to a Licensing Act ban until November 2022 and is paying fines until December 2024.

Defence advocate Paul Glover asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty pleas.

’Mr Cain has been very open and honest with probation and is extremely remorseful,’ said the advocate.

Mr Glover said that Cain had difficulties which were highlighted in the latest probation report, which he would not go into in open court, and that he was going to see Motiv8.

The report said that Cain was a ’vulnerable man’ who could be exploited.

Mr Glover said: ’Some groups have thought it funny to get him drunk for their amusement. He is working with probation and hopefully things are on the up for him.

’He knows there is a significant risk he could go to custody and is petrified about it. He knows he can’t keep playing the same card time and time again.’

The High Bailiff said that any period of custody would have been short and would not allow for Cain’s offending to be addressed.

She told him: ’I will give you one last opportunity but if you breach this order you will undoubtedly go to custody.’

The suspended sentence replaces the previous probation order which was revoked.

A new licensing ban was issued, prohibiting Cain from entering licensed premises and buying or consuming alcohol in public for two years.

He must also pay £50 prosecution costs at the end of his previous fines, at a rate of £20 per week, deducted from benefits.