Club bouncers admit attack
Bouncers who assaulted two club-goers are to be sentenced at crown court.
Newark magistrates decided their sentencing powers were insufficient after seeing security camera footage of an incident outside the town’s Time and Glitterball nightclub.
Two clubbers, both Polish men, were knocked to the ground.
One was knocked out by a blow from a doorman’s hand-held radio and was kicked while on the ground. The other was punched and kicked.
Andrew Mark Gilbert (43) of Millgate, Newark, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and affray. Mark Anthony Pegg (35) of Churchill Drive, Newark, admitted two counts of actual bodily harm and affray and John Barnaby (22) of Berkley Street, Scunthorpe, admitted two counts of actual bodily harm and one of affray.
They will be sentenced at crown court on a date to be fixed.
Prosecutor Mr Rod Chapman said there was an incident inside the nightclub on Castlegate on September 22 involving a group of girls.
Mr Chapman said as part of the incident the two Polish men were ejected from the club.
Trouble between another group of men and the Poles spilled out into the street and the doormen intervened.
Mr Simon Cobb, for Gilbert and Barnaby, said both were experienced doormen.
He said that they were trying to do their job in difficult and volatile circumstances.
“There was a level of provocation,” said Mr Cobb.
Mr Julian Bruce, for Pegg, said he was a family man who did not behave like that.
“Their response was ultimately disproportionate,” he said.
The chairman of the bench, Miss Sue Summers, told the defendants: “We have decided that these offences are so serious that you should receive a greater punishment than we can impose in this court.
“You were all employed in a position of authority.
“There was a high level of violence.”
All were released on unconditional bail.
Inspector Martin Holford, of Newark Police, said afterwards: “Doormen are there to protect people from violence.
“They are trained to show restraint no matter what the provocation.”
The company that owns and manages Time and Glitterball employs Level One Security of North Hykeham to provide its security.
The managing director of Level One Security, Mr Graham Fordham, said as soon as he was made aware of the incident, the morning after, the defendants’ contracts were terminated.
Mr Fordham said his company took its responsibilities seriously.
“You can never predict anything about the public coming into a venue or the actions of door staff,” he said.
“The lads involved had all been properly trained and held up-to-date licences for working the door.”
He said that his staff were trained to the highest standards and would normally seek to defuse a situation before it reached a flashpoint.
He said Level One Security had a good working relationship with the police in Newark.