A 20-year-old man who touched a barmaid’s breasts has been sentenced to 180 hours’ community service.

Joshua Thomas Mills admitted indecent assault and was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the woman.

We previously reported that Mills, who lives at Hilltop View, Douglas, was drinking at the Highwayman pub in Peel on August 21 last year from around 4pm.

As the night wore on Mills’ behaviour was described by staff as ‘challenging’ as he tried to engage with a woman who said she was not interested.

At one point he touched her breasts over her clothing with the palms of his hands.

The incident was said to have been brief but had caused the woman to push him away.

A formal complaint was made to police and Mills was arrested on August 23.

A victim impact statement was read out by prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon in which the barmaid said she had not liked working alone since the incident and had now left the job, which had resulted in two weeks without any income before she found a new job.

She said that Mills’ friends had still been coming into the pub though they had not mentioned the incident.

The woman said she had started wearing baggier clothing to work, and was now cold towards any men who spoke to her and found it hard to trust them.

She said in the statement: ‘I am so angry with Joshua Mills. I don’t know how I’d react if I saw him. He needs to take responsibility for what he has done.’

Defence advocate Jim Travers handed in letters of reference for his client and a draft apology letter from Mills to the victim, which he hoped could be given to her.

The advocate said: ‘Mr Mills entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity once CCTV had been reviewed.

‘It was a relatively low level indecent assault, very brief in duration and over clothing. It came about after many hours of drinking.

‘It is a source of regret that this 20-year-old has been in the company of more mature men as part of a sporting team and has not been looked after.

‘It started off with 10 or 11 people as an impromptu drinking session, which came about after adverse weather and a cricket match was called off.

‘It was down to two or three people at the time of the incident which perhaps gives an indication of the duration.

‘Mr Mills does not recollect the incident but accepts responsibility. He has been horrified by the relevant conduct.

‘Foolishly he tried to keep up with his team mates. He wasn’t used to consuming alcohol at that level or for that duration, and unfortunately it got out of control.’

The advocate went on to say that his client had previously intended to go into coaching and teaching but those plans had now been abandoned with this conviction and he was currently working as a landscape gardener.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she had taken into account that the assault was over clothing and a touch with the palms of the hands.

‘You were 19 at the time of the offence and have lost your good character in a spectacular way,’ she said.

‘I accept it was at the lower end of the scale but it has had a profound effect on the victim.

‘It wasn’t an incident that was in private. She had to suffer in the full glare of rowdy, loud drinking men. It must have been very intimidating for her.’

Mills was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs.