'˜Bully' brick-laying boss battered pub landlord

Former soldier Connor Hammond flung a table and chair around and punched the landlord in the face after pushing him to the floor.

Hammond, 24, of Brook Street, Marton, pleaded guilty to assault, threatening behaviour and causing damage.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks jail, suspended for two years with up to five days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to pay compensation of £50 to the landlord plus £250 compensation for the damage with £85 costs and £115 victims’ surcharge by District Judge James Hatton.

The judge told him: “People must have been terrified by your behaviour. The punch to the landlord was delivered while he was on the floor. This is the act of a bully.”

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said the landlord of the Highfield pub was called to the area of the pub where Hammond was fighting with another man on August 5 at 10.10pm.

Hammond, who was very drunk, pushed the landlord onto the floor and hit him in the face when he tried to prevent him getting back into the pub.

Outside the pub Hammond ran towards the landlord with a half full bottle of wine which smashed when he threw it. CCTV showed him throwing a chair and a table which broke in two inside the pub.

He ran towards a woman police officer with fists clenched and chest puffed out. She was forced to call for reinforcements.

Hammond had been in the Army and was doing well in his career but following a jail sentence for wounding and possessing ammunition without a certificate he was discharged from the military.

Hammond told the judge it had all started when remarks were made to his girlfriend. He apologised and said he was ashamed of himself.