A motorist who drove at speed and slammed on the brakes after a man climbed on the bonnet of his car has been jailed.

Jackson Joseph Paul was found guilty earlier this month of death by dangerous driving following a trial.

Deemster Graeme Cook sentenced Paul to six years in prison.

The 35-year-old was also banned from driving for eight years by the court.

The court previously heard how Jordan Thomas lay on the bonnet of the BMW being driven by Paul and died after falling backwards onto the road when the car sped forward before coming to a sudden halt.

Thomas, 29, sustained catastrophic injuries following the incident on Harbour Road, Onchan, on the evening of February 25 last year - and died in the specialist unit at Liverpool’s Aintree Hospital eight days later.

Paul, 35, of Palace Road, Douglas, had denied the offence but was convicted on Friday, February 14 by a jury of seven people after a four-day trial at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

The jury did not believe Paul’s claims he was in immediate threat being killed or suffering serious injury at the hands of Mr Thomas. They also believed Paul’s actions were not that of a reasonable and competent motorist.

Central to the prosecution case were two mobile phone videos taken by Paul’s passenger. The first showed Mr Thomas on the bonnet and the second captured the moment Mr Thomas fell backwards onto the road after Paul braked suddenly.

However, in his closing speech defence advocate Stephen Wood urged the jury to put themselves in Paul’s shoes.

‘It was the most extraordinary set of circumstances,’ he said ‘How would any of us react to such an alien and hostile moment?

‘He is an ordinary guy put in an extraordinary situation. He was put in an impossible positions and acted in an entirely human way.’

During the trial Paul gave evidence and told the jury he thought Mr Thomas was going to break through the windscreen and attack him.

After reversing a few yards, Paul said he panicked and tried reversing again, not realising the automatic vehicle was in drive and he sped forward.

A roadside breath test and drugs wipe on the defendant returned a negative result.

After summing up by Deemster Graeme Cook, the jury retired and returned their verdict after deliberating for just over two hours.