A teenager who tried to stop a man with alcohol dependency issues from drinking ended up carrying out a violent assault.

Harley Alex Dennis Cowley, now 19 but aged 18 at the time of the offence, was drinking with a group on May 12 last year when the victim joined them.

The man told Cowley he had a problem with alcohol and should not be drinking.

However, when the victim took out a can of beer, Cowley tried to snatch it from him. The confrontation quickly escalated, resulting in Cowley being charged with assault causing actual bodily harm.

On Friday, prosecutor Roger Kane told the court Cowley, of Peveril Road, Douglas, had been drinking in Snaefell Road, Willaston when the victim approached the group.

After telling Cowley about his issues with drinking alcohol, Cowley tried to stop him drinking the can of beer.

The situation soon turned violent, with Cowley punching the victim in the nose before repeatedly striking him in the face. He then pinned the victim to the ground and continued punching him while he was unable to defend himself.

Cowley left the scene but returned after police arrived. Witnesses identified him and he was arrested. The victim was also arrested at the scene.

Cowley submitted a basis of plea which was accepted by the prosecution.

In it, he said: 'I don't remember clearly everything that happened. But I tried to stop him drinking alcohol after he said he was dependent on it.

'I accept my efforts to stop him drinking were way over the top. I accept the escalation was down to my actions.'

He also said that at one stage he feared for his own safety as the situation spiralled out of control.

Mr Kane read a victim impact statement in which the man said he spent a night and much of the following day in police custody.

He said: 'As a result of his (Cowley's) actions I suffered two black eyes, which was embarrassing, and I had headaches.'

The victim also said he needed painkillers to deal with bruising to his back and arms.

Cowley initially denied the offence and the case was due to go to trial, with the victim describing the delay as stressful.

However, at the Court of General Gaol Delivery in May this year, Cowley changed his plea to guilty.

In mitigation, advocate James Peterson said his client had no previous convictions and handed the court a number of positive character references.

Deemster Graeme Cook described the attack as 'an act of thuggery', although he stopped short of calling Cowley a thug because of his previous good character.

The Deemster said Cowley would have been sent straight to prison had he had previous convictions for violence.

Instead, he imposed a 17-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Cowley was also made subject to a three-year restraining order and ordered to pay the victim £1,000 compensation.