27-year-old assaulted father during weekend row
A Douglas man has been ordered to pay his father £150 compensation after punching him in the face in a drink-fuelled argument.
Joshua Connor Harding, of Upper Dukes Road, lashed out at their home address on Sunday (6 November).
The 27-year-old also admitted causing damage to his dad’s laptop and phone on the same day.
Both men had consumed around 10 cans of lager each whilst watching football – when Harding’s father returned downstairs he found his son ‘going through’ his wallet.
Harding was then said to have ‘flipped’ a laptop off a table before pushing the man onto the sofa and punching him – his dad suffered bruising around his eye and a scape to his face.
The argument spilled outside and Harding was seen grabbing his father’s phone and throwing it onto the pavement.
During sentencing at Douglas Courthouse Harding’s advocate said his client strenuously denied ‘rifling’ through the wallet and instead was returning a bank card after visiting the shop at his father’s request.
A probation officer told the court Harding’s behaviour was ‘fuelled by alcohol’ – a substance which he is dependent on – adding: “It’s clear Mr Harding uses alcohol to disguise his mental health (issues).”
Accepting the damage to the laptop was reckless rather than deliberate High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Harding: “You cannot carry on consuming alcohol in the way you are.”
She imposed a 12-month probation order and instructed Harding to pay prosecution costs of £125.
Thresholds for first time buyers schemes need addressing, says commissioner
Manx Utilities engineers investigating burst water mains
'Specialist training' for teachers delivering Sex Ed classes
Lack of resources impacting charities registering with AG
Ramsey Community Hub to install new bench made out of felled cherry tree
Average time to answer 999 call remains at 1.5 seconds in March
