Worksop: Dad smashed window with brick to ‘distract’ bouncers from attacking son

A Worksop man smashed a shop window in the town centre to ‘distract’ pub bouncers from attacking his son, a court heard.
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In Court

Ian Watson, 41, of Newcastle Avenue, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Friday 27th February.

Watson had been out drinking in Worksop with his friends and family on 12th September 2014 at the Queen’s Head, Bridge Street and then the Cornerhouse, Bridge Place, later that evening.

The court heard that Watson was in the Cornerhouse and decided he wanted to go outside for a cigarette.

He gestured to one of his friends to see if he wanted to join him in the smoking area but the bouncers thought that Watson was causing problems with another customer.

The bouncers told Watson to get out of the pub before his son then got involved after he became upset at his dad getting ejected.

The door staff then turned their attention to Watson’s son, who was not named in court.

Defence solicitor, David Verity, said: “The bouncers threw his son to the floor and started stamping on his fingers. At one point there was five bouncers on him and as a result Mr Watson’s son actually suffered broken fingers.”

Watson, who said that he rated himself as ‘six out of ten’ in terms of how drunk he was, then picked up a brick and threw it through the window of the Schoolwear Centre, just after midnight, to try and ‘distract’ the bouncers from his son.

It was later said that the bouncers involved are no longer employed at the Cornerhouse after their part in the incident.

The police arrived the next day and took some photos and said the brick had caused a ‘large crack’ in the window.

“This was a fairly unusual situation,” Mr Verity added.

“He accepts that he should not have caused the damage.”

“He deserves credit for his early guilty plea.”

“He had had a fair amount to drink but wasn’t drunk.”

“He simply threw the brick to make a noise and distract the bouncers.”

“Hi son had become involved because his dad has been thrown out for no reason.”

Watson’s last conviction was in February 2012 for which he received a conditional discharge.

The magistrates said they had taken into account that Watson had been compliant with a curfew order for the last five months from 10pm-7am, which also prevented him from entering pubs and clubs in Worksop.

The magistrates also said that drinking alcohol was not an excuse for causing the damage.

Watson was ordered to pay £100 compensation to the Schoolwear Centre.

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