Regulars jumped in to break-up brawl, court is told
A sozzled thug who attacked a drinker over an alleged remark sparked mayhem in a busy pub.
Alan Usher, 34, battered victim Craig Barrowman over the head with an unknown object at Callum’s Bar, High Street, Johnstone, causing other patrons to jump in and stop the attack.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard that Usher, who has previous convictions for violence, had been in the company of Foxbar man, Stuart Lockhart, when he caused the disturbance following his assault on Mr Barrowman.
Fiscal depute Margaret McCallum told the court the complainer had been sitting with friends drinking at a table at around 6.30pm when he was approached by Usher on September 23 last year.
She said: “Usher was accompanied by another male and he walked towards the table where the complainer was sitting.
“The accused, Usher, struck the complainer on the back of the head with an unknown object.
“He has no idea what it was which hit him.
“The accused was grabbed by other patrons who were in the bar and he was removed from the premises.
“Staff attended to the complainer who had been knocked over.”
The court was told Usher fled the bar with police arriving at the pub very soon after the attack.
However officers quickly arrested Usher having been given descriptions of a suspect by eye-witnesses.
Usher appeared at court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Barrowman by striking him on the head.
Defence agent for Usher, Mr Millar, told the court his client’s memory of the event is bare because he had drank too much - but drink remained at the root of his problems.
He said: “Sentence was deferred for backgrounds reports regarding this matter. The difficulty is that his memory is very patchy in relation to this incident.
“He was heav i l y under the influence of alcohol that evening. Reports reveal there is a significant likelihood of his reoffending if he does not address this, including his abstaining from drinking.
“He remembers being in the bar but he has no memory of the incident. He does remember being man- handled by other people in the bar - that is the extent of his memory.”
The lawyer added Usher, of Kerrymount Avenue in Glasgow, has abstained from drinking since the incident.
Sheriff Susan Sinclair warned the accused to stay off the drink or face jail.
Sh e said: “Your offending was directly influenced by alcohol and as a direct alternative to custody I will give you the opportunity to carry out unpaid work with supervision and attend for alcohol counselling as directed.”
Usher will perform 220 hours for the benefit of the community within nine months.