A violent repeat offender had to be taken down to the cells before he was sentenced for stabbing a man to enforce a drug debt after constantly interrupting the deemster.

Donovan Kitching was representing himself during sentencing at the Court of General Gaol Delivery where he maintained his innocence despite being found guilty by a jury at a previous trial.

But Deemster Graeme Cook lost patience with the convicted criminal who continued to interrupt after ignoring two warnings.

The sentencing continued in Kitching’s absence during which Deemster Cook jailed him for six and a half years for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was jailed for a further six months for the breach of a previous suspended sentence, bringing the total to seven years.

The court previously heard how Kitching’s victim was lured by co-accused Michael Glover – who has already been jailed for 28 months for his part - to the Cinder Path in Douglas on the pretext of doing a drug deal.

Jurors heard threats were made over a £10,000 drug debt with the victim told he had to come up with a payment plan or there would be ‘consequences’.

In the early evening of August 19 last year, the victim agreed to meet with Glover on the Cinder Path off Peel Road, Douglas, to buy some cannabis.

He was suddenly attacked by a masked man wielding some sort of implement. He put up his hand to defend himself and was struck around his ear and his hand.

Despite the attacker wearing a ski-type mask, the victim immediately recognised him as Kitching.

The victim said he fled down the path, pursued by Kitching. His attacker slipped and stopped chasing him. On reaching Ballakermeen Road, the victim spotted an open garage door and ran into the first property he could and rang his dad to tell him he had been stabbed.

He sustained a 4cm deep cut to his left hand which required six stitches and also a 1.5cm wound to his head by his ear.

Messages to the defendant recovered from Glover’s mobile phone talked about someone ‘putting a grand’ on the victim.

Taking the stand on the second day of his trial, Kitching admitted having spent a significant amount of time in prison and of having a ‘reputation’.

Jurors heard he had multiple previous convictions for violence including ABH, assaulting police and an aggravated burglary and robbery which was committed using a knife.

During his sentencing on Friday, Kitching maintained his innocence and kept interrupting Deemster Cook.

Kitching has already launched an appeal against conviction and says he will do the same for the sentence.

Before he was taken down for interrupting the Deemster, Kitching said no weapon was found and there was no evidence he had wielded one.

He also suggested Glover may have used it and when it was pointed out he never suggested this during his time on the stand at trial, he said: ‘I am not a grass. I am getting punished for having morals and loyalty.’

He cancelled a social enquiry report, which could have provided mitigation, saying he had nothing to say ‘as I am innocent’.

But he did tell the court: ‘I have lost everything again. I have spent 13-14 months in prison for something I haven’t done.

‘I am trying to sort my life out but it is not easy when everyone thinks you are a monster. I had a girlfriend, a place to live and work but I have lost the chance to live a proper life.’

The jury were not told that Kitching had been jailed for 10 years in 2014 after being convicted of death by dangerous driving.

Just three weeks after being released early on parole from his six-year sentence for aggravated burglary and robbery, he knocked down and killed a pedestrian on the Tholt-y-Will Road.