Warwick pub licensee jailed for glassing man

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A PUB landlord who smashed a glass into another man’s face during an incident in a Stratford nightclub has been jailed for eight months.

Christopher Bell, 30, the licensee of the Railway Inn in Guy Street, Warwick, had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to assaulting his victim causing actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor Charles Gardner Gardner said Thomas White was out with friends in Stratford town centre on December 3 last year and they ended up at the Shakespeare Number One bar at about 11.30pm.

Some time after midnight Mr White was on the upstairs dance floor when he saw what was becoming a heated exchange between Bell and one of his friends.

Mr White saw Bell push his friend, so he intervened and took hold of the defendant and held on to him.

He saw security staff making their way across the room and held on to Bell until they had arrived, and then let go.

But when he let go Bell swung at Mr White with his left hand, in which he was holding a glass, and hit him on the forehead causing profuse bleeding.

Security staff held Bell until the police arrived and arrested him.

Meanwhile Mr White was taken to hospital where he needed seven stitches to a 3cm cut to his forehead.

Jamie Strong, defending, said: “There was nothing premeditated - he had not armed himself with the glass to use it as a weapon.”

“He is the licensee of a public house in Warwick. Plainly, now he has acquired the conviction, he will no longer be able to be the licensee.”

But Bell runs the pub in partnership with his brother, who has completed a training course and it is hoped the licence will be transferred to him.

Mr Strong added Bell, who had no previous convictions, was used to dealing with incidents involving drink at his own premises in a perfectly lawful way – but on that occasion had been on a stag night and had had far too much to drink himself.

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