Face to face with man and machete
ADOORMAN from Southport has spoken about the terrifying moment he came face to face with a man wearing a balaclava and brandishing a machete at the pub where he was working.
Anthony White was giving evidence in the trial of Anthony Bartley, who went into The James Watts pub in Cheadle, Stockport, with the blade after being told to leave following a row over charging his phone behind the bar.
He has already been convicted of possessing an offensive weapon fol- lowing an earlier hearing but a trial has now opened at Manchester Crown Court where he denies attempted wounding with intent and attempted wounding, saying he was merely trying to “scare” security staff Anthony White and colleague Phillip Ball with the weapon.
He claimed in court that he did not intend to hurt anyone.
The court heard how Anthony Bartley had been ordered out of the pub after an argument, returned and was refused admission and later came back again with a machete.
Mr Ball and Mr White told the court that they held Bartley back with chairs and bar stools in a bid to protect “terrified” pubgoers.
No-one was injured in the incident, which happened on February 24.
Andrew Mackintosh, prosecuting, told the court that Bartley asked to charge his mobile phone behind the bar, but was refused by licensee Elizabeth Bennett.
Mr Mackintosh said Bartley became aggressive and returned several times despite being asked to leave – and was later barred.
The court heard how Bartley returned to the pub at about 9pm, asking door staff to let him use the toilet, but was refused entry.
Giving evidence, door supervisor Mr Ball told the jury that Bartley, who became argumentative, called his colleague a “bald, fat ****”.
Mr Ball said Bartley tried to push past him and his colleague, but they pushed him away and he fell to the ground, hitting his head on a bollard.
Bartley left, returning around 40 minutes to an hour later with a machete, said Mr Ball, adding: “It went straight up above his head. I picked up a chair or bar stool.
“He stepped forward and I brought the chair up. I struck him a number of times with the chair.”
Mr White, said he also picked up a chair to hold Bartley off.
He said: “People screamed and ran to the back of the bar and tried to get out. People were absolutely terrified.”
The court heard that Mr Ball and Mr White chased Bartley out of the pub and restrained him until police arrived.
Bartley, 50, of Buckingham Way, Stockport, admitted to going into the pub wearing a balaclava and holding a machete, but said he was merely trying to “scare” door staff.
Giving evidence, he said he was drunk and had felt “belittled” and “embarrassed” when he was pushed to the ground.
Bartley said that he went to a friend’s house to borrow the weapon, but added: “I didn’t go there to hurt anyone, it was just to scare them.
“I feel embarrassed, shocked and disappointed at what I did. It’s not acceptable.”
The case is proceeding.