A 41-year-old man has been fined £900 for disorderly behaviour at the Front Porch pub in Douglas.

Andrew Phillip Berridge appeared before magistrates admitting the offence and was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs.

At Douglas Courthouse, on Thursday, February 27, prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that the defendant went to the Duke Street bar on January 26, just after 9pm.

He was described as heavily intoxicated, and was refused service by the staff.

Berridge was said to have then become belligerent and aggressive, jumping at the bar.

A melee ensued and he was ushered outside, where police arrested him.

When interviewed, he handed in a prepared statement, admitting the offence and saying that he wanted to apologise to staff and customers at the Front Porch.

Video footage of the incident was shown to magistrates in court.

Berridge, who lives at Clybane Rise, was represented by advocate Helen Lobb, who said that her client fully accepted his behaviour was disorderly.

Ms Lobb said that it had been out of character and that the defendant’s last conviction was over 10 years’ ago.

‘He is not a man who goes out drinking and getting into trouble in bars,’ said the advocate.

Ms Lobb handed in letters of reference for her client and asked for credit to be given for his immediate guilty plea, his admissions to the police, and his remorse.

The advocate asked magistrates not to impose a licensing ban, saying that no injuries had been caused, and Berridge had been the one who had ended up being restrained with a number of people on top of him.

Chair of the magistrates, Julian Ashcroft told the defendant: ‘When you enter licensed premises the licensee is fully entitled to their right to refuse service.’

Berridge will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £50 per month.