Drunk man sparked melee at club night

Andrew Bown had drunk 12 pints and some shots before he punched a woman and smashed a photograph frame at the town’s ex-servicemen’s club.

Bown, 27, of St Leonard’s Road East, St Annes, pleaded guilty to assault and causing damage before a court.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay £100 compensation to his victim and £50 compensation for the damage, plus £85 costs with £15 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said Bown started trying to assault people and he was surrounded by a crowd at St Annes Ex-Servicemen’s Club on October 4 at about 11.20pm.

Bown was shouting: “I’m going to kill you’” and lashed out, smashing a photograph on the wall which showered glass everywhere.

“In the melee, Bown also struck a woman on the side of her face with his fist.

He had to be taken to the floor by police before being transported to the police station, where, when interviewed, Bown said he did not normally drink much.

Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair, defending, said Bown had been on the dance floor when a woman kept bumping into him.

He laughed at her and she then assaulted him, he said.

In the fracas which followed Bown unintentionally hit another woman for which he was ashamed.

Bown had been offered a conditional caution by police if he paid £150 compensation.