Bassetlaw boozer punched barman and paramedic who tried to help drunk girlfriend

Michael Lowe’s girlfriend chipped a tooth when she came out of the Idle Valley Tap pub, on Carolgate, at 1.15am, on July 7.

Prosecutor Robert Carr said Lowe became “abusive and aggressive” when a barman tried to check if she was all right and punched him in the face.

“The barman said he was only trying to help and Mr Lowe apologised,” he said.

An ambulance was called and Lowe’s partner was treated by paramedics, and again Lowe became aggressive, elbowing one of the technicians in the face and punching him in the mouth. The man was left with swelling and bruising, and a split lip.

Lowe refused to cooperate with police in a drugs test at Newark.

Lowe, 28, of Lawnwood Avenue, Elkesley, admitted two counts of assault by beating, and refusing a sample for a Class A drug test, when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Thursday.

He was last in court for dishonesty in 2016, and his last conviction for violence was in 2009, said Mr Carr.

David Grant, mitigating, said Lowe’s girlfriend chipped her tooth and wanted to go home.

“Drink disinhibits far too much and we have the result we have today,” he said.

He said Lowe had “lots of thefts” on his record, but was now free from drugs.

“In the police station he was so wound up by what was going on and knew he would be positive, he simply refused.”

He said Lowe decided to change his life after his release from prison and found work as a fork lift truck driver.

But the assaults were published on social media by police and he was sacked as a result, added Mr Grant.

Lowe and his partner had a child three months ago, and they went out to celebrate, he said.

Probation officer Greta Percival said he found his behaviour was “shameful” and he was remorseful. On the night out he said he was eight on a scale of one to ten of drunkeness.

He was addicted to crack cocaine in the past, but had been drug free for 11 months, she said.

Lowe was given a 12 month community order, with 60 hours of unpaid work and ten days of a rehabilitation activity to address alcohol misuse and anger management.

He was ordered to pay £100 in compensation to each of his victims, as well as costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.