A FORMER doorman has appeared in court for swearing at police officers after they accused him of starting an argument as he removed a rowdy group from a town centre pub.

Anthony Knight, 46, was working at the Sir Daniel Arms in Fleet Street when just after midnight a number of men started causing a nuisance inside.

He and his colleagues brought the men outside which resulted in a scuffle and Knight was kicked and suffered a graze to his eye.

However when police intervened they "starting pointing the finger in the wrong direction" and blamed the employees, Swindon magistrates were told.

Frustrated, Knight got angry and started shouting and swearing towards the officers which resulted in him being taken to the police station to be questioned.

He pleaded guilty to the offence which happened almost two years ago in October 2014.

Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said: "On this occasion Mr Knight was working as a member of door staff at the Sir Daniel Arms.

"Officers are there just after midnight and see somebody being ejected from a side door and then see other males being ejected from the same door.

“Officers go between the group of males and the door staff and say they are trying to move the men away.

“Mr Knight goes towards the group and officers and was shouting and swearing. He’s told to move away.

Emma Thacker, defending, said: “The group were quite aggressive to all members of door staff. Mr Knight was kicked at one point and pushed.

"He was trying to move the group away and calm the situation down.

"Police intervened and very much pointed the blame at the door staff and Mr Knight felt very aggrieved about that and felt the police were not listening to him.

“He did swear but the fingers were pointed in the wrong direction. He offers his apologies on behalf of this situation. He accepted he was agitated.”

Knight, formerly of Gorse Hill and now living in Glyndebourne Close, Salisbury, was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 court costs.

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A man in his thirties has been banned from driving after he was caught above the drink-drive limit.

Stephen Jackson, 32, of Chepstow Close, Toothill, pleaded guilty to the offence dating from July 3 when he came before magistrates sitting in Swindon.

The court heard that Jackson had been stopped driving an 04-plate Vauxhall Vectra on Moredon Road when it was discovered he had 40mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

The bench fined him £300 for the offence and banned him from driving for 12 months.

His ban will be reduced by 13 weeks if he completes a drink drivers' awareness course.

He must also pay £85 Crown Prosecution Service costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

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A teenager has been ordered to pay £105 after assaulting another man.

Luke Archer, 19, of Ancona Close, Ramleaze, was also given a conditional discharge for 12 months by Swindon magistrates after he pleaded guilty to the offence which happened on May 7 in Swindon.

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A 37-year-old accused of assaulting another man at The Kings Arms in Old Town is to face trial. James Barnett, of Beaulieu Close, pleaded not guilty to carrying out the attack on February 6 and remains on unconditional bail until the next hearing at North West Wiltshire Magistrates' Court on October 10 at 10am.

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A man accused of robbing someone of his £80 mobile phone will appear at Swindon Crown Court next month.

Christopher Goodbun, 27, of Harding Street, is accused of carrying out the offence on June 10 in Swindon. His trial will take place on September 2 at 9.45am. He was released on conditional bail and must not contact the alleged robbery victim or go into the town centre between 7pm to 7am.

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Aaron Zawierski, 22, of Denholme Road, Park South, has pleaded guilty to stealing a set of keys from another man. He was ordered to pay £105. He was conditionally discharged for 12 months.

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Sebastian Thomas, 34, of Heddington Close, has pleaded not guilty to using threatening or abusive words likely to cause distress to another while in Inglesham Road on June 13. He remains on unconditional bail and will appear at North West Wiltshire Magistrates Court on October 12 at 10am.

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A man who stole a Homeland box set and a Straight Outta Compton DVD from HMV, as well as electrical goods from Poundworld, has been ordered to pay compensation to the town centre shops.

Carl Hiett, 29, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to carrying out the offences on June 23 and June 26 when he came before District Judge Simon Cooper at Swindon Magistrates' Court. Hiett was given a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £91.