Angry drinker punched pub doorman
An angry drinker punched a doorman through a gap in the doorway after he had been barred from entering.
Leigh Rodgers was tugging on a door handle trying to get inside The Burghley Arms while door staff were holding the door shut from the inside.
Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, told Spalding magistrates that the door opened a couple of feet and Rodgers landed a punch with a clenched fist on the left hand side of doorman Kevin Wilkins’ face.
Miss Ritson said: “Mr Wilkins punched Mr Rodgers in defence of himself and Mr Rodgers was seen to fall to the ground.”
While Rodgers was pulling at the door, the handle broke away and there was damage to the woodwork around the bolt at the top.
The court heard a customer from the pub restrained Rodgers and police arrived shortly afterwards.
Miss Ritson said: “Mr Wilkins himself didn’t complain of any injury, but he’s a doorman and they often don’t.”
The incident happened at 10.30pm on February 16 and Rodgers admitted in his police interview he had started drinking 12 hours earlier.
The prosecutor had no details of the cost of repairs to the pub in North Street, Bourne.
Rodgers (39), of Stretham Way, Bourne, pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage when he appeared in court on Thursday.
Presiding magistrate Jenny Frere-Cook said: “We are going to ask for compensation towards the doorman.
“He was doing his job and you abused that.”
Rodgers was conditionally discharged for a year for both offences and must pay £25 to Mr Wilkins, £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Solicitor Anita Toal, mitigating, said Rodgers watched CCTV footage of the incident with her.
“You can quite clearly see from the body language that he was angry and aggressive and it’s not a very pretty sight,” she said.
Mrs Toal said Rodgers is trying to moderate his drinking and voluntarily seeking help from an agency.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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