Drunken assault lands man with big fine

Tuesday 19 September 2023

A man who was barred from a North Plantation pub and assaulted the doorman after drinking two litres of rum has been fined and ordered to pay compensation before he leaves the island.

Vladislavs Muiznieks (23) pleaded guilty to the offence which occurred on 9 September in the Randy Paddle pub after he refused to leave after being asked to while attempting to buy a drink.

The Magistrate’s Court was shown CCTV footage of the incident in which Muiznieks was seen being pushed to the pub’s door before turning and putting his arm around the man’s neck, punching him in the head, and falling to the floor in a tussle.

He was arrested by police shortly after exiting the pub for an unrelated incident. Staff then alerted officers to the assault.

Muiznieks said in interview he’d consumed two litres of rum since the afternoon and couldn’t remember the altercation. He said he was aware he was barred and was embarrassed at how he had behaved.

Defending, Duty Advocate Sam Maindonald said her client didn’t understand what barred meant and had thought it may have been a temporary ban only, but he did offer a full account to police.

He was due to work in the island for six months as a scaffolder but has now decided to leave and has a one-way ticket booked for Wednesday.

Judge Graeme McKerrel said he was surprised Muiznieks could stand let alone walk given the “enormous” amount of alcohol he had consumed that day.

He added that had Muiznieks planned to remain in the island a probation report would’ve been ordered and the penalty would’ve been more severe as his actions crossed the custody threshold.

Judge McKerrel ordered him to pay £300 compensation to the victim first and an £800 fine, with a 40-day stay in prison as the default for non-payment. He was taken into custody until the money is paid in full.