Licensee spends 14 hours in cell after pub dispute

A licensee is furious after spending 14 hours in a police cell for throwing out a customer he claimed was drunk.

Rod Evans at the Tafarn Y Trap in Gorseinon, Swansea called last orders at 12.10am on Sunday.

'At about 12.25am the man came in to the bar and tried to get a drink.

'His speech was slurred, he was unsteady on his feet and his eyes were glazed.

'I refused to serve him as he was clearly drunk,' said Evans.

He claims the customer acquired a drink for a friend in the bar and when he tried to take it off him trouble started.

'I asked him to leave and he wouldn't. He was holding on to the partition in the bar so I slapped him to get him to let go,' Evans says.

At 1.30am, Evans was arrested and held in custody at Swansea police station. 'I had to wait in a cell for 14 hours for the customer to sober up before he could make a statement,' claimed Evans.

He has lodged a complaint and has to wait until January to see if he has been charged.

Morning Advertiser legal expert Peter Coulson said: 'He was right not to serve a drunk, but not right to hit him. In that situation, always call police.

'Under the Act, they are obliged to go when called to licensed premises. It is an offence to try to buy alcohol when drunk.'