A MAN has been given a suspended sentence after admitting assaulting bar staff in a New Year’s Eve melee at a Wetherspoons pub in Flintshire.

Dominic James Edwards, 29, of Hafan Deg, drank a bottle of Jack Daniels at home, before his partner asked him to meet her at The Market Cross pub in Holywell.

He had been reluctant to join her, but did so, and just after midnight, the couple became embroiled in an argument because the defendant wanted to go home.

In an attempt to defuse the situation, two members of staff got involved and in the process of trying to escort him from the premises, a third employee, who wasn’t on duty at time, put his hand on Edwards’ shoulder to which he reacted with an elbow to the face and the melee ensued.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told Mold Magistrates Court how Edwards, who admitted the three charges of assault, had been sent to prison for a violent assault in July 2018.

In a police interview, he admitted to being a 9 out 10 on the sobriety scale, having drank a litre of Jack Daniels earlier in the evening.

He told officers that he wouldn’t have reacted in the way he did if the members of staff had approached him “nicely” but admitted to “letting rip” when he was punched by Cameron Eastham, a manager at the premises.

Mr Eastham received several blows during the assault, admitting that the punch he had thrown at Edwards had only made matter’s worse.

He had retaliated after Edwards had punched his colleague, Claire Gill, in the face, and she told the court in a victim personal statement how she had been “anxious to return to work” and that the situation was one that got “totally out of control”.

The three members of staff managed to wrestle Edwards out of the main entrance to pub, but once outside, he continued his assault, pushing Mr Eastham into a table. Edwards then picked up a metal sign post and fearing they were going to be attacked with it, the three members of staff all went inside and locked the door. All three suffered injuries in the attack, including sore cheek bones, cut and swollen lips and grazes to the shoulder, while Mr Eastham also had his shirt torn.

Andy Holliday, defending, said his client’s record was likely to cause Deputy District Judge Huw Edwards “concern”. However, he told the court that his client had simply been “mistaken” to throw his arm back when he felt the hand on his shoulder, adding how he hadn’t known the man was also a member of staff.

He had made full admissions during a police interview, saying the argument with his partner had led to members of staff becoming involved and how that had led to “an escalation in discussions”.

Mr Holliday said: “He accepts his behaviour was out of order, but obviously that is said with the benefit of hindsight.

“Mr Edwards has a good relationship with his current offender manager and he has been trying to address his issues during his period of post sentence supervision.”

Probation Officer Pamela Roberts told the court how Edwards had been “open and honest” and engaged with her colleagues since his release from HMP Altcourse in February last year. She said what happened on New Year’s Eve had been a case of him not implementing what he had learnt over the past year in terms of anger management, which she said can be blamed entirely on the fact he had consumed so much alcohol.

Ms Roberts added that although a risk remains over his alcohol and drug misuse, he would be a suitable candidate for unpaid work.

Deputy District Judge Huw Edwards told Edwards his actions had been “appalling” but gave him full credit for his timely guilty pleas.

He said: “It was unacceptable, unjust and unwarranted. You have left people upset and scared to go back to work.

“There are a restricted number of reasons to suspend sentences and they shouldn’t be sprinkled around like confetti.

“However, I am impressed with the commitment you have shown with Probation and you have even found employment as a labourer. So on that basis, I am prepared to suspend your sentence.”

Edwards was given a four month concurrent sentence for each of the three counts of assault, but that will be suspended for a period of 12 months. He must also pay each victim £100 in compensation and complete a 12 month community order, which comprises two rehabilitation requirements.

The defendant was also made subject of a licensed premises exclusion, which bans him from the Market Cross public house for a period of two years.