Violent offender banned from every pub in Halesowen (From Halesowen News)

Violent offender banned from every pub in Halesowen

3:02pm Monday 4th January 2010 in Local

A VIOLENT Halesowen man who beat up a young man has been allowed to keep his freedom - but has been barred from drinking in every pub in the area for 18 months.

Darren Oakes - a man with a string of previous convictions for pub violence - was also ordered to pay his victim £800 compensation for the injuries he suffered and £1,200 court costs The 31-year-old admitted assaulting Christopher Cadman in the William Shenstone pub causing him actual bodily harm and was given an eight month jail term suspended for 18 months.

Howard Searle prosecuting said 20-year-old Mr Cadman was in the pub and stumbled over Oakes' leg after going outside for a cigarette.

Oakes laughed and after a verbal exchange between the two men, he threw a pub stool at Mr Cadman which struck him on the shoulder before punching him a number of times in the face leaving him needing hospital treatment.

Mr Searle told Wolverhampton Crown Court Mr Cadman missed two weeks work at Primark because of his facial injuries which cost him £400 in wages and now felt uneasy about drinking in Halesowen town centre.

Oakes, the court was told, had previous convictions for offences including assault, wounding, possessing an offensive weapon and using threatening behaviour - all committed at pubs including the Nelson, the Whitley and the George.

Mr Searle said it was because of his long history of pub violence that the prosecution sought the exclusion order banning him from licensed houses.

Oakes, of Cross Street, was placed under supervision for 18 months.

Judge Michael Dudley told him: "This is effectively your last chance."

He said if Oakes was convicted of another offence it would leave the courts with no option but to put him behind bars.