A drunk Isle of Wight man attacked an off-duty police officer, his friend and a Sandown Pier employee before threatening that he had a gun in his bag.

David Miles, of Cedar Drive, Shanklin, attended the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Friday, November 24, and pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault and one of assault by beating.

Lauren Stone, prosecuting, said the 35-year-old was at Sandown Pier at 5.45pm on September 11.

Ms Stone told the court that Miles, visibly intoxicated, approached an off-duty police officer visiting the pier with friends and slapped his right arm before putting him in a headlock.

The victim asked him to go home and identified himself as a police officer, the defence said, before Miles told him he had a gun in his bag.

In a 20-minute-long incident, a friend of the officer, along with a Sandown Pier employee, was also assaulted by Miles.

Ms Stone said Miles had spent the day drinking shots, pints of beer, and whiskey, before committing the assaults.

Jim Osborne, defending, said the off-duty police officer was able to get up and walk away with minimal injuries.

Magistrates ordered an all-options pre-sentence report, and granted Miles conditional bail ahead of sentencing on January 12.