Man attacked friend after finding him with his ex

A man who hit a friend on the head with a wrench because he suspected he was in a relationship with his estranged wife has been jailed.

Alan Westwood, 58, struck at his victim's home in Peel on 31 August.

Douglas Courthouse heard Westwood hit the man with a tool that had been in his car.

He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, and given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim.

The court heard Westwood and his wife had first become friendly with the victim in 2020 and had often met for a drink.

But the 59-year-old had stopped going out after giving up drinking alcohol.

Two weeks prior to the attack, his wife had told him their marriage was over, and he began to suspect she was in a relationship with the other man, the court was told.

The court heard she was having a drink with the other man when she received a message from Westwood at 19:45 BST saying he was going to visit him at his home in Peel.

The pair had returned to there to wait for him.

Doorbell camera footage shown to the court showed the victim beckoning Westwood to come in through the back door.

After a brief exchange, Westwood hit the man on the head with the wrench before the pair began grappling on the sofa.

The police were called and Westwood was arrested.

He later pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

Prosecutors said it had been a "premeditated and unprovoked assault" that had left the victim with a headwound that needed six staples.

Westwood's advocate said he had only noticed the wrench in the footwell of the car when he arrived at the house, and had not deliberately taken it with him.

Handing down the jail term Deemster Graeme Cook said: "You could have killed him."

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