A man has been jailed after assaulting and threatening two Wetherspoons workers while under the influence of alcohol.
Dean Newland, 33, of HMP Altcourse - but formerly of no fixed address - appeared at Liverpool Magistrates court on Wednesday. He faced three counts of assault due to an incident that took place in the Richard John Blackler branch of JD Wetherspoon, Great Charlotte Street, as well as one count of failing to comply with sex offenders register notification requirements.
Yvonne Dobson, prosecuting, stated that on October 10 at around 11.45pm, Sophie Barends and Reece Wilde were both working a shift at the pub. Ms Barends spotted Newland standing near a group of men in the pub, asking them for money.
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She approached him and asked him to leave the premises. In response, Newland became aggressive and demanded a drink, which she refused.
Newland then sat at a nearby table which had a half-finished drink on it. Ms Barends had attempted to remove the glass from the table because "he was acting in a very aggressive and threatening manner” so she was concerned, the court was told.
She asked her colleagues to help her, by which point Mr Wilde approached Newland, also asking him to leave. He continued to act aggressively towards staff and even threatened Ms Barends by stating his sister would "assault her".
Newland then assaulted Ms Barends, pushing her in the chest area. Ms Dobson said: “The defendant poured the half pint over the floor and raised the glass as if he was going to throw it. He continued making threats, and then leaned over, touching her left breast area. Ms Barends felt instant pain at this point.
"He continued to be aggressive until police arrived at the scene and arrested him.” Amy Butler, defending, said Newland had been remanded in custody since October 12, and had positively used alcohol addiction recovery programmes while in prison.
She said: “Mr Newland does not try to minimise his behaviour on that day but alcohol is his problem, he is an alcoholic. He is a different person from what happened on the 12th of October.
“He has completed a 12-step program and has begun a mentoring program.” The court was told Newland has failed to comply with notification requirements six times, and this offence took place while he was subject to two suspended sentences for previous sexual offences.
In sentencing, Judge James Hatton said: “The big problem in this case Mr Newland is your record of convictions. You have been put on trust by the court and you have continued to commit offences. I know that it is difficult for you because of your personal circumstances, but you know what your responsibilities are.”
Judge Hatton activated two previous suspended sentences, of eight weeks and 12 weeks each, both previously given for breaching the sexual offences notification order. He was sentenced to a further 16 weeks for the latest breach of a notification order, which will be served consecutively.
Meanwhile, he was handed four weeks for each of the four cases of assault which will also be served concurrently. In total, he was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment.
A community order was also imposed, stating Newland cannot have alcohol of any kind on his person in Liverpool city centre for two years.
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