A 27-year-old man has admitted provoking behaviour after he sparked a five-man brawl outside Jaks.

Billy Robert Sumner fought with four men after initially arguing with a woman.

He will be sentenced in summary court on October 17 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecuting advocate Peter Connick told the court that witnesses outside Jaks saw Sumner arguing with a woman on September 4, at 1am.

A man tried to intervene but Sumner lunged at him and hit him in the face.

The woman pushed Sumner away, but he then pushed her back and tried to punch her but didn’t make contact.

Another male then got involved and Sumner exchanged punches with him.

Two more men then also joined the melee and Sumner tried to attack them.

The fracas ended with Sumner being pinned on the ground by one of the men.

Two of the males had bloody noses and one had a hand injury.

Sumner was arrested and during an interview at police headquarters, answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

Mr Connick asked the court to consider a licensing ban when sentencing takes place, as police reported that the defendant had been under the influence of alcohol.

In September last year, Sumner was jailed for 14 weeks after attacking a man in Strand Street and abusing a member of staff at Spar.

In August 2021 he was jailed for 18 weeks for spitting in a police officer’s face.

Defence advocate Winston Taylor asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing for the latest offence takes place.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500 with conditions that Sumner live at his Empire Terrace address in Douglas, not enter licensed premises or buy or drink alcohol in public, contact probation and co-operate in the preparation of the report, and not to leave the island without court consent.