A bouncer who punched a woman has been handed a suspended sentence.

Fifty-seven-year-old Warren Clark had denied the offence but was found guilty of common assault after a summary court trial.

Magistrates sentenced him to 12 weeks’ custody, suspended for one year.

He was also ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs, due to the case going to trial.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that Clark was working as security staff at the Nag’s Head pub in Victoria Street in Douglas, on June 3 last year.

He escorted someone out of the bar but a woman then tried to intervene.

She damaged his glasses and Clark responded by punching her in the face, cutting her lip.

The court heard that the defendant’s last conviction was in 1985.

Ms Carroon said that the prosecution cost of the trial had been £1,500.

Defence advocate Helen Lobb handed in letters of reference for her client and urged magistrates to follow the recommendation of a probation report, which had suggested a suspended sentence as the most appropriate way of dealing with the offence.

Ms Lobb said that four people that the bouncer had been dealing with had accepted cautions for their behaviour.

The advocate told the court that the injury had not been serious but after the trial, Clark had accepted that the force he used was unreasonable and that he had gone beyond the area of the licensed premises.

A probation report said that the defendant was the sole carer for his mother and because of this, community service would not be suitable.

The report said that Clark took her to hospital appointments and also took her for treatment in the UK.

He said that there had been times he could not even afford the petrol money to take her to hospital appointments, such were his limited funds.

Ms Lobb asked magistrates to suspend the sentence, saying that the grounds were, Clark’s acceptance of his guilt and the minor injury caused.

She also asked the court to consider limiting the prosecution costs as she said that the defendant was not on benefits, as he had previously been told he was not eligible.

Chair of the magistrates David Christian said: ‘During the trial, the CCTV footage was most telling.

'We have taken into account that there was some provocation, but you followed the group away from licensed premises.

‘You said you pushed her but it was clear from the trial that you punched her.

‘You were fortunate it was not more serious.’

Clark, who lives at Janet's Corner in Castletown, was ordered to pay £1,000 of the prosecution costs, at a rate of £10 per week.