Drinker attacked Sunderland pub boss after being barred - then returned with pitch fork and hammer and smashed windows

Norman Nellins, 41, grabbed her hair when she began to usher him out after spotting him inside the Hylton Castle Arms.

Nellins, of Chiswick Square, Hylton Castle, then punched her in the face, a clump of her hair coming out in the melee.

Pubgoers who forced him outside had to flee when he returned and put windows out with tools including a hammer - and set about chasing them.

When arrested at the scene on Monday, January 17, blood splattered Nellins told police, “It’s not my blood, it must be hers.”

He was jailed for eight weeks for the unprovoked assault and criminal damage crimes, a sentence suspended for 18 months.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson said: “He was drinking in the Hylton Castle Arms but he was banned because of previous behaviour.

“The manager was at work when he came in and she told him to leave, but he ignored her.

“She ushered him towards the door but he grabbed her hair and he then punched her in the face, and she lost some hair.

“Customers got him out but he came back with a pitch fork and a hammer and smashed four windows.

“He shouted a warning of, “I’m going to kill her”. He is seen chasing other customers around outside.

“The police arrive and they get the items from him. He has blood on him and is asked if it is his.

“He says, ‘It’s not my blood, it must be hers’. He said that he knew he was barred but his mate was inside.

“He said that he was very intoxicated because he’s an alcoholic and was not blaming her for anything.”

Nellins pleaded guilty to assault by beating and causing criminal damage.

He also admitted using threatening behaviour with intent to cause fear of unlawful violence.

Defence solicitor Gerry Armstrong confirmed Nellins was drinking a vast amount of alcohol each day day but had reduced his intake to a third.

Mr Armstrong said Nellins had been offence free for 12 years but sank back into booze after his parents’ deaths and having to leave the family home.

He added: “What does he do? He gets back to drinking, it’s the only thing he knew as a coping mechanism.

“He’s never tried to hide from what he did, he’s blamed himself. He now accepts that help was needed.

“Here was a man at the end of his tether, no-one to see and nowhere to go.

"He's been drinking 20 cans of lager a day, which has to be reduced slowly.

"He is now down to almost a third, but still needs help."

For the assault and the public order offence, Nellins was jailed for eight weeks for each, and to six weeks for causing criminal damage.

All sentences are to run concurrently and suspended for 18 months.

Nellins must pay £200 compensation and £85 court costs, and complete 25 rehabilitation days and a six-month alcohol treatment programme.

He was handed an exclusion order to stay away from the pub for 18 months.