A New Year’s Eve brawl has cost a 38-year-old man a £400 fine.

Allan Samuel Durairaj repeatedly punched a man in the face at 1886 Bar and Grill.

He said that he was defending a friend who had been assaulted.

Durairaj admitted disorderly behaviour on licensed premises and was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs.

Two other men involved have been dealt with previously.

Ethan John Peel, aged 21, of Peterborough Terrace, Bradford, who had denied disorderly behaviour on licensed premises, was previously given a caution, and a similar charge against Lee Anthony Butterworth, aged 38, of Millmount, Douglas, was withdrawn, after the prosecution decided that self-defence could not be ruled out.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that the three men were at the Regent Street nightclub on December 31.

Durairaj and Mr Butterworth were in the same group.

Mr Butterworth was said to have bumped into Peel, who responded by throwing a punch at him.

Both men ended up on the ground, and Durairaj then leant over Peel and repeatedly punched him in the face.

Security staff dragged Peel to safety and they were all ejected.

When interviewed by police, Durairaj said that he had been ‘eight out of 10’ when asked how drunk he was on a scale of one to 10.

He said that he had seen his friend, Mr Butterworth, on the ground with Peel after being punched, so he had pulled Peel off and punched him multiple times.

Prosecutor Mr Kane said that it appeared that Peel had started it, but he had already been given a caution by a previous court.

Durairaj, who lives at Palace Terrace in Douglas, was represented by advocate James Peterson, who said: ‘In effect, Mr Durairaj was defending his friend, but accepts that, in the heat of the moment, he went too far.

‘He is sorry for his actions.’

Mr Peterson asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and asked the court to consider that Peel, who he said appeared to be the instigator, had been given a caution.

The advocate asked for a conditional discharge to be considered for his client.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told the defendant: ‘I have taken into account no action was taken against Mr Butterworth and Mr Peel received a caution.

‘However, clearly you went too far in terms of helping out your friend and the most concerning aspect is you were standing over Mr Peel when he was on the ground, repeatedly punching him in the face.

‘I suspect your level of intoxication was perhaps responsible for the way in which you responded.’

Durairaj was ordered to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £100 per month.