Drug dealer punched nurse and spat at ex-partner

A drug dealer who spat in his ex-partner's face and punched an emergency department nurse in the chest has been jailed for three years and four months.

Glen Batty, 30, offered to sell cocaine to another man through social media messages in August 2023.

Douglas Courthouse heard he was subjected to a "vicious attack" in a Douglas lane when he went to meet the man, and that he attacked a nurse in hospital in May last year.

Jailing him, Deemster Graeme Cook said in the "murky world of drug dealing violence follows".

The court heard Batty had exchanged several messages with Michael Glover on social media over three days in August 2023. The messages featured slang terms for drugs and the snowflake emoji, used to represent cocaine.

The pair agreed to meet on 19 August, but when the 30-year-old arrived he was attacked by another man, Donavan Kitching, with a weapon.

The court was told Batty reported to police the assault, which left him in need of medical treatment. But messages found on Glover's phone revealed the planned drug deal.

Glover admitted his part in the attack and was jailed for three years, while Kitching was sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty following a trial.

The court heard on 18 May 2024 Batty had been taken to the emergency department at Noble's Hospital while drunk.

While there he had carried out a "thoroughly nasty" assault on the nurse treating him, punching her "full force" in the chest twice.

Batty had also sent a string of abusive and threatening messages to his ex-partner, and had spat in her face during an argument at her home on 24 September, the court was told.

He admitted charges of offering to sell cocaine, domestic abuse and common assault.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis on two occasions, one of which was while he was on remand at the Isle of Man Prison in January.

Deemster Cook said while he had been given credit for identifying Kitching and Glover to police and giving evidence against the former at his trial, the attack itself would not be taken into account.

"People who get involved in drug dealing get involved in the murky world of violence that goes with it," he added.

Batty was also handed a Domestic Abuse Protection Order banning him from contacting his ex-partner for five years.

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