A sex offender threatened and assaulted to members of Wetherspoon staff when they asked him to leave their pub. Dean Newland, 33, of HMP Altcourse but formerly of no fixed address has now been jailed.
He appeared in court to admit three counts of assault and one of failing to comply with sex offenders register notification requirements, reports the Liverpool ECHO. The court was told by prosecutor Yvonne Dobson that on October 10, 2022, at around 11.45pm, staff members Sophie Barends and Reece Wilde were at work in the pub.
Ms Barends saw Newland standing near a group of men, asking them for cash. She approached and asked him to leave. Newland became aggressive and demanded a drink. Ms Barends refused.
Newland then sat at a table, which had a half-finished drink on it. Ms Barends went to remove the glass, as Newland was “he was acting in a very aggressive and threatening manner”.
She asked colleagues for help, which is when Mr Wilde approached, also asking Newland to leave. He continued behaving aggressively towards the Wetherspoon staff and threatened Ms Barends, claiming his sister would “assault her”. Newland then assaulted Ms Barends, pushing her in the chest.
Ms Dobson said: “The defendant poured the half pint over the floor and raised the glass as if he was going to throw it. He continued making threats, and then leaned over, touching her left breast area. Ms Barends felt instant pain at this point. He continued to be aggressive until police arrived at the scene and arrested him.”
Amy Butler, defending, said Newland had been remanded in custody since October 12, and, since the incident at the Richard John Blackler branch of JD Wetherspoon in Great Charlotte Street, Liverpool city centre had positively used alcohol addiction recovery programmes while in prison.
She said: “Mr Newland does not try to minimise his behaviour on that day but alcohol is his problem, he is an alcoholic. He is a different person from what happened on October 12. He has completed a 12-step program and has begun a mentoring programme.”
Liverpool Magistrates' Court was told Newland had failed to comply with notification requirements six times and this offence took place while he was subject to two suspended sentences for previous sexual offences.
In sentencing, Judge James Hatton said: “The big problem in this case, Mr Newland, is your record of convictions. You have been put on trust by the court and you have continued to commit offences. I know that it is difficult for you because of your personal circumstances, but you know what your responsibilities are.”
Judge Hatton activated two previous suspended sentences, of eight weeks and 12 weeks each, both previously given for breaching the sexual offences notification order. For the latest breach of a notification order, he was sentenced to a further 16 weeks, to be served consecutively. For the four cases of assault relating to the incident in Wetherspoons he was handed four weeks each, to be served concurrently.
In total, he was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment. A community order was also imposed, stating Newland cannot have alcohol of any kind on his person in Liverpool city centre for two years.
