THE manager of the North Wales pool team has been banned from all pubs in a town centre.

But Neil Roberts, 34, was an excellent pool player and the pub ban would not affect his playing, his solicitor, Euros Jones, told Wrexham magistrates, sitting at Mold.

Roberts, of Park Hill Avenue, Gwersyllt, admitted a public order offence on June 12 after an assault charge was dropped.

He was placed on a community order for 12 months, which included “a prohibited activity” not to enter on-licensed premises in Wrexham town centre.

Roberts was also made the subject of a three-month curfew order which means that he cannot go out between 10pm and 7am on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights.

Mr Jones said his client played pool on Wednesdays.

The charge followed an incident at The Cambrian Vaults pub in Wrexham, where the defendant was ejected.

It was alleged he threw punches at a doorman and later pulled his jacket up over his head and delivered a number of blows to the body.

Interviewed, Roberts said he had earlier been to a pool competition and on a one-to-10 sobriety scale he put himself at five.

A woman started abusing him over his weight so he started having a childish argument with her over her teeth. Others got involved and he was removed from the pub.

He felt door staff used unreasonable force to remove him from the premises.

Roberts said he used to work the doors himself but had been thrown on to the floor outside, causing grazes to his hands and elbows.

Mr Jones told magistrates his client was not drunk and produced photographs of the injuries he suffered.

The defendant remonstrated with the bouncer who threw him out, a struggle ensued and he accepted that was threatening behaviour.

Roberts had a partner and three children to support and was a self-employed mobile caterer in Chester, the solicitor added.

Mr Jones said his client played pool at a high level and was manager of the North Wales team.

He was normally the team’s driver who remained on soft drinks.