A bouncer described in court as Chairman of Warrington Pub Watch left a nightclub goer with a nasty gash to his head and injured two other men in separate incidents.
Joshua Aspinall, described as chairman of Warrington Pub Watch and local volunteer worker, tried to claim he had been acting in self-defence but eventually admitted it involved excessive and unlawful force.
Liverpool Magistrates Court heard how on October 28 last year Michael Phillips was told he was too drunk to enter the Level club, which he disputed.
“He challenged it, with no aggression being shown, and the defendant reacted by pushing him backwards in an attempt to eject him,” said Olivia Rendell, prosecuting.
“When he did not leave, Aspinall punched him to the left side of his face causing him to fall and hit his head on a nearby desk and suffer a large cut to his head.”
The next night 31-year-old Aspinall was at the club when another customer, Stewart Hanlon, was ejected by door staff.
“Aspinall says, ‘what is going on?’ and walks over and comes up behind him and tries to make him let go of the door. When he does not, the defendant hits him on the hand with his torch nine times to make him let go. A number of door staff told him to stop.”
The victim’s hand was bruised for two weeks and he had small scratches on it.
Miss Rendell said that on November 5 customer Daniel Dutton was ejected from the premises by Aspinall. “Mr Dutton said he needed to tell his girlfriend he was being thrown out and had his hand on a bannister.
“The defendant hit his hand four times with his torch until he let go. Mr Dutton suffered several scratches to his hand.”
In a statement Mr Dutton said that three days later his hand was still swollen, bruised and cut.
Aspinall, of Lodge Lane, Warrington, pleaded guilty to three offences of assault by beating on the day his trial was due to start.
The court heard he has four previous convictions for driving offences but none for violence.
Defence barrister Olivia Belle said, “His behaviour was inexcusable and can only be described as out of character.
”For the past ten years he has devoted his time not only as a doorman but to a number of community groups, helping several charities.”
She said he volunteers for Warrington Voluntary Action and Youthzone. “He holds the serious position of chairman of Pub Watch and devotes his time to beating crime.”
Among references produced on his behalf was one from a crown court recorder for “his heroic services in the security industry,” she said.
“His doorman licence has been suspended. He hopes at the conclusion of these proceedings having shown professionalism for ten years he can get his licence back,” said Miss Belle.
She said that he is remorseful and regretted his behaviour and she added that in May he was attacked and suffered a brain injury which landed him in an induced coma.
The magistrates sentenced him to ten weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
The chairman of the Bench, Peter Bingham, said that “due to his efforts in the community rehabilitation was a distinct possibility” and ordered him to carry out 30 days rehabilitation activities and attendance on a ‘building better choices” programme.
Aspinall was also ordered to pay Mr Phillips £500 compensation and £100 each to the other two victims.
