Licensee stole Christmas Club cash

An Ipswich licensee who stole almost £5,000 from his pub's Christmas Club has been jailed for a year. Andrew Ross, 38, former licensee of the Inkerman inNorwich Road, appeared before Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing having admitted a series of theft charges at an earlier hearing. Ross was also ordered to pay £4,700 compensation to the customers left out of pocket and to pay £150 towards prosecution costs. Sentencing Ross, Judge John Bevan said: "I do not know whether you are ashamed or not. You were in a position of trust as the landlord of the Inkerman pub, having been there for six to seven years. "You abused the trust placed on you and stole £2,400-odd from them. Worse, in my view, is the breach of trust to those who put a lot of money into the Christmas Club. "That's a gross breach of trust to the customers who looked up to you as their landlord." Landlady's attacker has jail term cut A man jailed for life following a savage attack on a Carlisle landlady has had his sentence cut on appeal. Peter Armstrong, 36, admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Kerry Dixon, landlady of the Globe Inn, Caldewgate, Carlisle, when he appeared before Carlisle Crown Court last week. He was sentenced to life following the "three strikes and you're out law" but was told by the court that he would have to serve a minimum six years. However the Court of Appeal has now cut one year from the sentence, ruling that credit should have been given to Armstrong for his immediate guilty plea. Host faces hefty bill for PEL breach A former west London licensee has been ordered to pay nearly £3,000 after holding a karaoke night without a Public Entertainment Licence. Mandy Latour claimed she was holding a private party at the Old Sergeant in Parsonage Lane, Enfield, and so she did not need a PEL. But environmental health officers from Enfield Council said there was no indication that the pub was closed to the public. Enfield Magistrates Court was told last week that the environmental health department had received several complaints about loud music coming from the pub on 30 August last year. Latour, of Chase Side, Enfield, was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £882 costs. Woman in court after pub acid attack A woman has pleaded guilty to wounding in connection with an acid attack at a Bristol pub. Leanne Jackson of Byron Street, St Pauls, Bristol, admitted one charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two of wounding and two of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Bristol Crown Court heard on Friday last week that Jackson, 26, entered the Inkerman in Grosvenor Road and threw sulphuric acid over customers. In total, 24 people were treated in hospital for acid burns and the effects of inhaling fumes from the acid. However, Jackson denied one count of unlawful wounding inan alleged attack 15 days earlier. She was granted conditional bail while the court considers her pleas. If it accepts them, she will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on 6 September. Five arrested following police raids Five men have been arrested, and class A drugs seized, following police raids on two licensed premises in Birmingham. Quantities of crack cocaine and cannabis resin were recovered during the raids in Villa Road, Lozells, which took place at 7.50pm on Thursday 5 August. Offensive weapons including a machete, long-bladed knife and knuckleduster were also found. All five men were granted bail following the arrests. The premises were closed following the operation and willre-open following consultation between the licensee and the police.