No Queensbury rules in pub fight

Rodney Watson, Mullavilly Road, Tandragee, admitted common assault when he appeared last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

A public prosecutor said that on April 25 last year at Joe Mac’s bar in Portadown an intoxicated male, who had been escorted from the premises, was seen banging his head off a brick wall.

He was the brother of the defendant and police were advised there had been a disturbance in the bar involving the two brothers. Damage had been caused and the son of the owner of the bar had been assaulted.

CCTV showed Watson punching the victim during an altercation involving a number of males.

A solicitor representing the defendant said it was Watson’s brother who caused the problem this evening.

He explained that his client did not know that his brother had been barred from the premises and Watson was a regular at the bar.

The solicitor added that each of the brothers had taken four of five pints and there was no problem until Watson’s brother started dancing on the floor.

He said there was then an ‘unedifying scene and a melee’ but Watson tried to calm the situation down and get his brother out of the premises.

While the melee was ongoing Watson lashed out and struck the injured party once.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said that ‘Queensbury Rules did not apply here’ and adjourned the case until November 9 for a pre-sentence report.