A man accused of shooting air pistol pellets through a door he smashed with a baseball bat will appear in court again in February.

Leroy Stephen McHarrie, aged 22, appeared before magistrates in Douglas.

Mr McHarrie, of Nursery Avenue in Onchan, pleaded not guilty to one count each of possessing an imitation firearm, criminal damage to a door and affray.

Prosecution advocate Rebecca Cubbon told the court a man and his girlfriend were at home in First Avenue in Onchan at around 10pm on November 17.

Magistrates were told they heard banging on their front door, and saw a man wearing a scarf over his face, with a hat and hood pulled over it.

That man demanded to be let in, but the couple recognised his voice because they’d previously been friends.

As he continued to bang on the door, they shouted at him to go away - but when he refused, they dialled 999 and asked for police.

As they waited for officers to arrive, the man is said to have used a baseball bat to smash panes of glass in the porch door.

He is then alleged to have produced an air pistol, putting it through the broken windows and firing it twice.

The court heard the man inside the house had been hit twice in his abdomen, suffering minor bruising.

When the terrified householders shouted they were on the phone to the police, he’s said to have run off but officers on patrol spotted him driving a silver Honda near Hills Meadow in Douglas at 1.30am.

He went into a nearby filling station and police noticed he had a bandage on his right hand.

They arrested him, and he made no reply when cautioned.

The bench heard Mr McHarrie denied any involvement in the incident when he was interviewed at police headquarters.

Miss Cubbon said the case should be tried in the higher court, while defence advocate Jim Travers said he felt it was a borderline case which could be dealt with by the bench.

However, magistrates said the case was too serious to be heard in the summary courts and declined jurisdiction. They added he would have to be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery, where his trial will take place.

Mr McHarrie was granted bail to an address in Mona Drive in Douglas in the sum of £500, with a condition he doesn’t try to contact three named witnesses in the case.

He’s next due to appear in court on February 17 for committal proceedings.