bar owner broke man’s jaw with a single punch
Finnie guilty of serious assault outside his pub
A well- known publican smashed a customer’s jaw with a single blow outside his own bar.
Landlord Kevin Finnie was found guilty of seriously assaulting Stephen Grier at his Pleasantfield pub in Prestwick.
Finnie, 48, smacked Grier’s face sending him flying to the ground with a punch.
After raining blows on his victim Finnie, who also owns The Buf bar in Prestwick, calmly walked back inside and didn’t even phone the police, Ayr Sheriff Court heard.
A well known publican broke a customer’s jaw with a single punch outside his own bar.
Landlord Kevin Finnie was found guilty by a jury this week of seriously assaulting Stephen Grier at his Pleasantfield pub in Prestwick.
Finnie smashed Grier’s face sending him flying to the ground with a blow - and then continued to batter him. After the attack he calmly walked back into his bar and didn’t even phone the police, Ayr Sheriff Court heard. Finnie, 48, who also runs The Buf in Prestwick claimed he was defending himself.
He and Grier hurtled through the front door of the Pleasantfield while gripping each other after a row escalated on November 18 last year.
Depute fiscal Kirsty Urquhart told the jury: “Kevin Finnie broke Stephen Grier ’ s jaw.” She continued: “The only question is whether he acted in self defence.”
Explaining to the jury how the fight started, Ms Urquhart said: “He ( Stephen Grier) told you he tried to act as a peacemaker in the bar when Kevin Finnie appeared to be on the brink of fight with a customer. He didn’t like to be told to calm down in his own pub. “That is why he attacked Stephen Grier.” She said Finnie’s blow cracked Mr Grier’s jaw “instantly.”
Ms Urquhart said Finnie continued to rain blows on his victim before heading back into the Pleasantfield.
Questioning why Finnie didn’t walk away, she said: “Why did Kevin Finnie not go back into his pub? It was his pub after all.
“Kevin Finnie didn’t walk away. He stayed and continued to attack this man.”
She added: “Four days later he claimed self defence.”
Describing Finnie’s behaviour immediately after the incident, Ms Urquhart said: “He returned to the bar after the incident, appeared uninjured, doesn’t say anything to the staff and doesn’t call the police.”
Appearing in the witness stand, Grier admitted downing pints and snorting cocaine.
Bar maid Lianne Bradley who was working said she didn’t see anything that happened outside.
Defence lawyer Lauren Fowler said: “Stephen Grier had been drinking from 11am that day. He drank 12 pints of lager. He admitted that he had snorted cocaine.”
Ms Fowler said Finnie was sober, had been working since 10 am and had given Lianne a lift home after the shift.
Addressing the jury, Ms Fowler said Mr Grier grabbed Finnie and threw a punch at him as they both careered towards the pub door.
She continued: “Lianne Bradley saw Stephen Grier had punched him, More punches were thrown outside the public house.
“As a result of that. Mr Finnie threw a punch at Stephen Grier and broke his jaw.”
She said the pair were joined outside by Mr Grier’s friend Mark Grant who attacked Finnie.
She said her client’s blow was “certainly stronger and resulted in the injury to Stephen Grier. Unlucky for Stephen Grier but commensurate and proportional.”
Finishing her summing up to the jury, she added: “Mr Finnie is not guilty of assault. He acted in self defence.”
Finnie, of Crandleyhill Road, Prestwick, had denied assaulting Mr Grier by punching him on the head, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly punching him on the head and body to his severe injury.
Sentencing has been deferred.