Boozy thug punched two victims at pub

A drunken thug who assaulted a landlord and a customer at a pub in Buxton has narrowly been spared from being sent to prison.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday how Daniel Freakley, 34, attacked the landlord outside the New Inn, in Market Place, Buxton, and punched a further man who had intervened during the fracas.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “The defendant and his partner had booked a hotel room for this particular evening and he said he had consumed 20 pints of alcohol and during the evening he had been playing a guitar belonging to the pub. His partner was seen leaving the pub carrying the guitar with her but she was beckoned to come back and the guitar was taken from her and she was then tripped up by the landlord Hilton Bales-Smith and this defendant retaliated by punching him. A witness. Michael Edge, was asking the defendant to calm down and he was punched in the face by the defendant leaving him with a cut to his eye.”

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The court was shown the incident at the pub from January 2 after it had been captured on CCTV. Freakley told police he had consumed 20 pints of Stella and so had his partner and he admitted punching the landlord after the landlord had tripped his partner who had fallen to the ground. He added he had been aware of other people around him and he decided to punch Mr Edge. Freakley told police he was sorry for punching Mr Edge and said he felt afraid at the time.

Freakley, of Marina Road, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to committing two counts of assault by beating.

Defence solicitor David Gittins said Freakley had started drinking in the morning and is an alcoholic.

He added: “The first act of violence is by the landlord in that he trips the woman. He kicks her and she falls. This defendant is in drink and sees that and lashes out but the landlord was not arrested.”

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Mr Gittins added that Mr Edge had been pointing at Freakley and with other people present the defendant lashed out again.

The court heard Freakley is still subject to a suspended prison sentence for driving offences which could have been activated after the assaults.

However, magistrates sentenced Freakley by extending his suspended sentence of sixteen weeks of custody suspended for 18 months to 16 weeks of custody suspended for 24 months.

They also imposed a 12 week curfew with an electronic tag. Freakley must also pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

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