Punch up in Ilfracombe sports bar sees Barnstaple man banned from pubs

PUNCHING a man to the floor in a bar has caused one man to be banned from all licensed pubs in Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.

William Norman, 47, of Hawley Close, Barnstaple had been drinking in Buddy's Sports Bar in the High Street in Ilfracombe on December 20 last year with his son when the argument began.

CCTV footage shown in court revealed the moment a relatively calm debate led to Norman swinging a punch at the man he had been arguing with.

North Devon Magistrates' Court heard it was 11.34pm when Norman approached the bar and began talking to his victim who started telling Norman how "hard" Marines were.

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Norman then punched him once to the face and the man fell to the floor before police were called.

Mark Haddow, for the prosecution, said: "Even in the words of the defendant it was not because the individual was winding him up it was what he was hearing that wound him up."

Tony Dart, for the defence, said the two men had met since the incident and shaken hands over the matter.

He said of the victim: "I think he realised that masquerading as something he was not probably contributed towards the situation, not that he was asking to be punched.

He added: "It would appear from the CCTV that nobody was particularly perturbed by this.

"It was not a Wild West fight."

Magistrate Rose Day sentenced Norman to a community order with a curfew requirement for four months.

He was also made the subject of an exclusion order banning him from all licensed premises in Barnstaple and Ilfracombe for six months.

Norman was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge.