A 23-year-old man who broke a teenage girl’s nose with a punch has been handed a suspended sentence.

Declan McBurnie appeared at Douglas Courthouse on Tuesday, December 3, and was also ordered to pay the victim £1,000 compensation.

He had pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm during a previous court appearance, with the case being adjourned for a probation report to be completed.

We previously reported that McBurnie was at Greeba Avenue in Glen Vine on September 21, at 1.20am.

He was with the complainant and two other women.

An argument took place, during which McBurnie was said to have walked away to calm down.

However, he returned and said that he found that his phone had been smashed, so he hit one of the women in the face with his fist.

The 19-year-old victim said that she lost consciousness for a few seconds after the punch.

An ambulance was called and she was taken to Noble’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a broken nose and a bruised lip.

When interviewed by police, McBurnie, who lives at Tramman Park in Douglas, answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

The offence put the defendant in breach of a probation order, imposed in May for breaching a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice, though that offence was in relation to a different female.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil referred to the probation report, saying that it set out difficulties McBurnie had encountered in his life.

Ms Cooil said that her client had been in and out of employment and drinking alcohol when he was not working.

She said that, when McBurnie had entered his guilty plea, he had no memory of the offence, due to his intoxication, but had accepted the victim’s account in full.

The advocate said that, as time had gone on, the defendant had recalled parts of what had happened and was horrified by his behaviour.

McBurnie, who lives at Tramman Park in Douglas, was said to have written a letter of apology to the victim, which he hoped could be passed on to her.

Ms Cooil went on to say that her client had the chance of a job with his father, in a plastering business, and this would help to stop him from drinking and keep him out of trouble.

The defendant was said to have been in custody since October 18, the equivalent of just over a three-month sentence.

Deputy High Bailiff Ms Braidwood sentenced McBurnie to 24 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and also issued a two-year supervision order.

He must also pay £125 prosecution costs, which he will pay, along with the £1,000 compensation, at a rate of £20 per week, at the conclusion of previous fines.