Hunt for attacker who bit man's ear off

A man who had his ear bitten off in a pub fight is in a comfortable condition in hospital. The attack on the 40-year-old happened in the Villa Victoria Inn on Westmorland Road, Newcastle, at around 11pm on Sunday. Police said the Tyne & Wear pub was busy at the time and they are urging witnesses to call them on 0191 214 6555.

Firefighters rescue pub blaze victims

A man is in a critical condition after suffering burns in a fire at a pub in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

He was helped out of the New Country Hotel in Bridgegate by firefighters after they were alerted to the blaze at around 4.30am on Sunday.

The man, who was in his 40s, was transferred to the burns unit in Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield where, as the Morning Advertiser went to press, he remains in a critical condition.

The landlady was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and was later discharged. A firefighter also suffered injuries to his leg during the rescue.

Police are treating the fire as suspicious and urged anyone with information to call 01709 832693.

Court bans licensee from his own pub

A licensee has been banned from his own pub after he threatened to pay somebody to kill his wife.

Rodney Slater also threatened to injure his wife, Carolyn, and made her sleep in the bar area one night.

Slater, 54, who ran the Gordon, in Thorpe St Andrew, near Norwich, admitted harassment and drink-driving at Norwich Magistrates Court last week.

The court heard that Slater had been abusive to his wife since August last year, after his former business partner killed himself. On 10 February 2003 he told his wife he would pay someone to kill her.

The next day he threatened to smash her hand with a piece of piping. On 12 February he was found three times over the legal limit for drink-driving when officers interviewed his wife.

The case has been adjourned for a pre-sentence report. Under the bail terms, Slater has been banned from contacting his wife or going within 200 metres of the pub.

Ted Bell, mitigating, said Slater was being treated for depression and he had no intention of hurting his wife.

Punter jailed for breaking host's jaw

A licensee's jaw was broken when he was punched by an angry customer who wanted to get into the pub after it had closed, a court in Gloucester was told.

Adrian Fitzgerald, 40, of Lichfield Road, Gloucester, admitted assaulting Clifford Owen, causing him actual bodily harm. He was jailed for 18 months at Gloucester Crown Court last week.

Giles Nelson, prosecuting, said that on 3 May 2004, a bank holiday, the Musket in Matson, Gloucestershire, closed at 7pm. Fitzgerald tried to get in after closing, saying he had left his jeans inside.

"The defendant called Mr Owen a f****** w***** and then stepped forward and punched him with a single blow to the face," said Nelson.

Fitzgerald was charged and bailed, but on 29 September he returned to the pub ­ in breach of his bail conditions ­ and threw a pool ball through the window.

Paul Grumbar, defending, said Fitzgerald was an alcoholic who needed treatment. Fitzgerald had been drunk at the time and had no memory of the incident, he added.

Armed police seize youth's toy gun

Armed police were called to a Northampton pub after a youth was spotted brandishing a toy gun.

A witness reported seeing a large group of youths in the car park of the Rifle Butt in Harlestone Road at around 3.30pm on Wednesday last week. One of the youths was spotted with a black handgun.

Armed police searched the area, found the youths and then seized the toy gun.

Police later issued a warning about the "folly" of using toy or replica guns, which cause "great concern to the public and necessitates the deployment of expensive police resources".