A CARLISLE man whose lawyer said his life had ‘fallen apart’ reacted violently when a pub worker asked him to leave the premises.

Llewellyn Newth, 43, refused to do as he was told and then punched the worker at the city’s Woodrow Wilson pub in Botchergate in the throat, magistrates heard.

The defendant, of Currock Road, Currock, admitted common assault as well as a number of other offences: being drunk and disorderly, assaulting a police officer, and damaging a police cell.

John Moran, prosecuting, outlined the most serious of those offences, the assault on the pub worker on March 9.

Victim Sean Dale was attempting to deal with “issues” involving the defendant and felt it was prudent to ask him to leave the pub.

“The defendant refused, raised his right hand and then punched the victim in the centre of his throat,” said Mr Moran.

“The police were then called.”

Fortunately, Mr Dale was not injured but he had not deserved to be assaulted, said the prosecutor. When the police arrived, Newth continued being aggressive.

“He began kicking out towards the officers,” continued Mr Moran.

The defendant grabbed a woman police officer “by the scruff of her neck” and tried to pull her to the ground, refusing to let go of her. Other officers stepped in to overpower Newth.

On September 5, Newth was again causing trouble in a pub – this time the Sportsman Inn at Heads Lane, Carlisle.

When challenged by police, he was again aggressive and abusive. At the city’s Durranhill Police HQ, officers put him into a cell, where he urinated and defecated.

Paul Tweddle, for Newth, said that for many years he was a successful man, with a family and a business. “But everything collapsed spectacularly,” said the lawyer.

Newth was now getting divorced, living with his grandmother, and his business had folded because of the impact of the coronavirus lockdown. The stress of it all was too much for him, said Mr Tweddle.

“Hand in hand with that, his consumption of alcohol has increased. Out of trouble for 16 years, it could be said his offences were out of character, though his change of fortunes was no excuse for the assaults,” said Mr Tweddle.

Magistrates noted that Newth committed the most recent offences while he was on bail for the earlier offending.

They imposed a 12 month community order, with 15 rehabilitation days, and a six month mental health treatment plan, and a three month alcohol treatment requirement.

He must observe a curfew for two weeks, pay £60 compensation to cover cleaning the police cell he fouled, £50 compensation to Mr Dale, £40 compensation to the police officer he assaulted and a £95 victim surcharge.