A burly pub landlord was beaten up and wrestled to the floor by his girlfriend after he punched her in the face during a drunken row, a court heard. Adam Prestage, 40, was subject to immediate ''retribution'' by Tracey Ellis in front of her two children when he left her with a bloodied lip.
Police arrived at the scene outside his Witton Chimes pub in Northwich, Cheshire to find Prestage telling them: "She smashed my head in". He later declined to make a complaint against his long-time lover. It emerged they had been arguing over the way his bar might be run following a works night out and a passing eyewitness had to stand between the couple to prevent further trouble.
At Warrington magistrates court, Ellis admitted assault and was fined £160 with £119 in costs after JPs were told Prestage - who was given a national award in 2020 for his charity work with special needs children - wanted to rekindle their eight-year relationship.
Read more:
- Census 2021 shows the big population changes where you live in Greater Manchester
- Drivers could face a hefty fine for using 'thank you gestures' on the road
The incident occurred on May 4 this year after the couple had returned to the pub separately following the works bash in Chester. Michael O’Kane, prosecuting, said police received a report of an ''ongoing fight'' outside the premises at just before midnight.
"The victim is a landlord of that particular pub,” Mr O'Kane said, “Mr Prestage was reluctant to provide a complaint but he did make a disclosure that his partner ‘smashed my head in’. The officer said there was blood on the victim’s face as a result of the incident.
“CCTV showed Mr Prestage leaning into the back of a taxi which the defendant was in. Something happens in the vehicle, some disagreement of some description. The parties get out of the vehicle and the defendant is then seen assaulting Mr Prestage.
“The incident is witnessed by independent witness who is walking by the Witton Chimes pub. He heard a loud disturbance and shouting. “He said there were four people outside the car. He saw the female attack the male at which point the male fell to the floor. The female was then on top of him assaulting him.
“There were children present shouting, “Mum stop.” The defendant stopped hitting the male and the male has got up. The defendant was said to be screaming ‘Call the police.’ The male was shouting ‘Give me my f***ing phone back’.”
Mr O’Kane said that following the assault Mr Prestage went back into the pub but returned following which there was a further verbal altercation on the road. “The defendant is of previous good character,” the prosecutor said, adding: “There was substantial force used.”
Defence solicitor Tony Birchall said that Ellis has been in a relationship with the “non-complainant victim” for eight years. The children present at the scene were her 18-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son.
Mr Birchall said that Ellis was adamant that Prestage had punched her first when she was in the car. However, he said it was accepted that her actions went beyond self-defence, that it was "excessive self-defence".
“The circumstances are that the defendant and the victim went out to Chester during the day for a works do," the solicitor said, "Both had been drinking to excess. The victim took a train back home and went to the pub at around 9.30pm and waited for the defendant who took a later train.
“They continued drinking until about midnight following which an argument took place about the way the pub might be managed in the future and how things were going in relation to it. She left the pub and in the car outside was a friend who had come to pick her up. The children were there and a dog. He was not there.
“He came out and accused her of taking his phone. She is quite adamant that he punched her in the face causing her an injury. She then got out of the car and in her interview with police she seemed to describe what was in essence going beyond self-defence, it was excessive self-defence.
“She wrestled him to the floor, and you have heard what happened as described by the independent witness, lasting for a couple minutes.” Mr Birchall said blood police had seen on Mr Prestage's face was from a cut to her lip and that the victim had reported no injury.
“It was excessive self-defence, some form of minor retribution - there was no injury,” he said, “She admits that she was wrong. We are asking for some leniency.” Mr O’Kane clarified that the police officer had noted that the victim had a small cut to his left cheek.
The defence solicitor referred to the independent witness statement which told of how Ellis had complained of being assaulted and that when Prestage returned from the pub the second time, the witness stood between the couple to prevent him going near her, fearing that he would assault her.
“He was shouting and swearing at me,” said the witness. The court was told that the couple had been separated for eight weeks as a result of bail conditions, but that Prestage had written to say that he wanted to be reconciled to his partner.
Sentencing Deputy District Judge Gareth Reece-Williams said that while the crown prosecution service could not confirm what had happened in the vehicle, it had been noted that the defendant had a “thick lip”. “This was an assault committed in a domestic situation,” he said, “There was a child present and you were both in drink at the time.”
Prestage was awarded the British Institute of Innkeeping’s 'Heart of the Community Award' in late 2020 in recognition of his hard work in helping to keep his community cheerful through the first pandemic lockdown. The publican streamed live disco and DJ sets through Facebook while also raising £500 for a local charity for children with special needs.
Read next:
- Angry mob descends on paedophile's home after vile sexual chats with NINE 'girls'
Family 'heartbroken' over death of 'beloved' man found dead at block of Salford flats
- Tributes paid to 'hero' dad who died hours after ‘crying and pouring his heart out’ out to family
- Struggling mum who had to ask Aldi cashier to stop scanning items left dumbstruck
