Pub smoker spends night in slammer

By Ewan Turney

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags North yorkshire pub North yorkshire

Pub smoker spends night in slammer
Drinker at a North Yorkshire pub spends night in cells after refusing to obey the smoking ban.

A drinker at a North Yorkshire pub was arrested for being drunk and disorderly after he refused to obey the smoking ban.

Martin Whisker, 42, kept sparking up at the Riskers pub in Scarborough in protest to the ban on Monday night.

Police were called when he refused requests to leave the premises.

He spent the night in a cell and was hit with an £80 fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly.

Martin has been a customer for many years but he walked in and immediately put five fags in his mouth​Licensee Barry Risker.

"Martin has been a customer for many years but he walked in and immediately put five fags in his mouth,"​ said owner Barry Risker.

"We asked him to put them out or go outside but he refused and asked us to ring the police. We had no option because I could be fined £2,500. I think he was arrested more for being cheeky than actually smoking as he refused to leave and then hid behind a van.

"We are a blokey pub with pool tables and big screen sport. I would say 75% of my customers smoke and no-one agrees with the ban but it is the law now."

Whisker, 42, a painter and decorator who lives in North Marine Road, said: "I can see the point of banning smoking where food is being served but there is no need to stop people smoking altogether."

Scarborough Council said it would be taking a softly-softly approach to enforcement in the first days of the ban with offenders receiving a warning about future behaviour.

Related topics Legislation

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