A 20-year-old Douglas man has admitted two counts of common assault.

Jason Alfie Watson got into a fight with a former friend after turning up at his flat.

He will be sentenced on February 4 next year, after a probation report has been prepared.

Prosecuting advocate Peter Connick told the court that a couple were at home at their flat at Mona Street in Douglas on January 9.

Their front door was insecure so they had barricaded it with furniture, and there was no bedroom door so they were using a sheet to cover the entrance.

The male said that he was in the bedroom when Watson, who he had known, appeared in the doorway.

The man said he feared for his safety and had pushed Watson away.

He said Watson then started throwing punches at him.

The woman then entered the room and said that Watson told them: ‘I’ve got a knife.’

She said that she hadn’t believed him but he had grabbed her and hit her.

Watson then left the flat, but was later arrested.

He was interviewed by police and claimed he had only acted in self-defence.

He denied having a knife and no weapon was found at the property.

Mr Connick said that it had been accepted that the male had only used reasonable force upon finding Watson in his flat.

Defence advocate Helen Lobb entered a basis of plea for her client, in which Watson accepted that he had removed a sheet obscuring the bedroom and claimed that he stood in the doorway and said: ‘ Yo Yo Yo.’

Watson, who lives at Palace Terrace, said he had kicked the woman unintentionally and had been manhandling her to try to get her out of the way.

Ms Lobb asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing.

Bail continues.