Advocate asks for man to be jailed to keep him 'occupied'

Said alternative sentences would set 33-year-old up to fail

A Douglas man who sent his ex-partner a message saying he wanted to hurt her – before turning up at her house with a knife – has been jailed.

Nathan Issac Holliday, of Clifton Terrace, received a 26 week sentence at Douglas Courthouse after his advocate asked the court to keep him behind bars to ensure he was ‘occupied’.

The 33-year-old had previously admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards the woman, and sending offensive messages to her, on 4 November last year.

Using WhatsApp he told her: “I want to smash your face in” and “I’m going to hurt you” – later that day he went to her home, in possession of a Stanley knife, making further threats.

Holliday also admitted going to the woman’s house, in Douglas on 19 December, and causing damage to her property.

Letting himself in uninvited he smashed a number of Christmas decorations, damaged two presents and was sick on the soft furnishings.

Holliday’s advocate said her client was ‘not a man of good character’ adding: “Mr Holliday does accept he acts appallingly when in drink.”

Admitting her request for immediate custody was ‘unusual’ she said Holliday was ‘saddened’ by what he had done and could continue to receive help with his alcohol issues whilst in custody.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also imposed a restraining order, until further notice, and a licensing ban for six months saying the incidents must have been ‘extremely upsetting’.