A SKIPTON landlord who admitted pushing a man to the ground and punching him several times has admitted affray.

Scott Edmondson, 38, pleaded guilty before Skipton magistrates on Friday to the offence which occurred on Christmas Eve last year in Newmarket Street, Skipton.

Edmondson, the licensee of Devonshire Vaults bar, in Newmarket Street, for two years admitted punching Kai Bailey, 20, after he tried to enter the licensed premises while barred.  Prosecuting, Martin Butterworth told the bench there had been an altercation outside the bar and the adjacent Devonshire Inn (Wetherspoons) when Bailey had been shouting threats and abuse to a customer.

Mr Butterworth said Edmondson had been inside and was alerted to Bailey trying to get in. He was concerned he was trying to sell drugs to his customers and decided to eject him. The court heard Bailey was of previous good character and claims of drug dealings were unsubstantiated.

Mr Butterworth said Bailey left, followed by Edmondson. Edmondson pushed him to the ground and punched him several times. The assault amounted to affray.

He added the police obtained CCTV footage from the pub and street. He also added Bailey sustained no injuries in the attack.

Mitigating, Yusef Khan said Edmondson had also been concerned for the welfare of a female customer who had gone outside to confront Bailey. He said that after the police were called and were interviewing Edmondson, Bailey returned with a weapon, a wooden pole. Police apprehended Bailey using pepper spray.

Mr Khan said Edmondson, a former Royal Marine who toured Iraq and Northern Ireland between 2001 and 2006, was a qualified civil engineer and had been offered a civil engineering job in India for 12 months. Edmondson was flying out on July 24 and Mr Khan asked if he could be dealt with by way of a high level fine rather than community service.

He was fined £3,846 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £1,538 and costs of £85.

Mr Butterworth said Bailey had initially been asked to leave and then returned with a wooden pole he claimed to have found nearby. Bailey pleaded guilty to three charges of affray, possessing an offensive weapon in public and using abusive or threatening words or behaviour in public.

Keith Blackwell, mitigating for Bailey, of Jenny Gill Crescent, Skipton, said it was sad he should find himself before the court being of previous good character.

"He had himself been the victim of an assault a few months earlier when he had been stabbed and was in hospital for some time. On this occasion it was Christmas Eve and he had far too much to drink. He went to the licensed premises and was challenged and asked to leave. He did not realise he was barred from those premises and took issue.

"He admitted making threats with a piece of wood he found. He has lost his way in life and needs some guidance," Mr Blackwell concluded.

There was no mention of why Bailey had been barred from the Devonshire Vaults.

The case was adjourned to August 11 in Skipton for pre-sentence reports to be made. Bailey was given unconditional bail until that date.