Crime

National Pubwatch Conference concludes working together key for sector’s recovery

25-Feb-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Leading industry members stressed that working in partnership was the way forward in rebuilding pub sector, at the National Pubwatch Conference on Tuesday (22 February).

Sentence increased for attacker who killed man in pub

07-Jul-2020 By Stuart Stone

The sentence for a 23-year-old man who killed a fellow customer in a Northampton pub last year has been increased following an intervention by the Attorney General.

Man handed life sentence for murder of licensee

21-Feb-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

A 35-year-old man who stabbed a licensee to death outside his pub has been sentenced to life in prison.

Licensee catches burglar red handed

21-Jan-2020 By Alice Leader

A licensee pinned a burglar to the floor after the intruder smashed through a window and began attacking a fruit machine with half a paving slab.

Stonegate bar has licence suspended over brawls

10-Jan-2020 By Alice Leader

A Stonegate bar has had its licence suspended after fights broke out on two occasions within four days of each other.

What to do if your pub becomes a crime scene

19-Jul-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Voluntary organisation National Pubwatch has released a short film instructing pub staff on how to preserve evidence at a crime scene.

Pub landlord refuses to back down after Golliwogs complaint

16-Feb-2018 By Stuart Stone

A complaint has been made to Thurrock Council after the landlord of an Essex pub refused to remove 15 golliwogs from behind his bar.

Plymouth scheme scoops top honours at Best Bar None awards

06-Feb-2018 By Stuart Stone

The longest-running scheme nominated at the 2017 Best Bar None awards won the prize for Best Overall Scheme at a ceremony hosted by Lord Smith of Hindhead CBE at the House of Lords on 5 February.

Bristol pub disorder linked to murder investigation

15-Jan-2018 By Georgina Townshend

Avon and Somerset Police believe "disorder" at a Bristol pub is linked to an ongoing murder investigation.

Deterring crime: How publicans can keep themselves and staff safe

04-Dec-2017 By Georgina Townshend

It seems that we live in increasingly violent times. And with those threats coming from a wide variety of sources, the need for planning, training and an action plan is more pressing than ever

Pub CCTV leads to eight-year prison sentence for man found guilty of manslaughter

12-Oct-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A pub’s clear CCTV footage led to the sentencing of a man who killed a father-of-eight inside the premises with a “single punch”.

Total fines of £39,000 imposed on three pubs for illegal sports broadcast

11-Oct-2017 By Helen Gilbert

Three pubs have been charged tens of thousands of pounds for showing Sky Sports illegally.

Man who stole cash and flooded pub is jailed

22-Sep-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A man who flooded a pub after breaking in, 'trashed' the pub and stole cash, has been sent to jail.

How to stop pub staff from stealing

22-Sep-2017 By Georgina Townshend

No one likes to think it could happen but publicans are vulnerable to having cash and stock stolen from right under their noses by employees. Here, a top legal expert offers advice on how to stop it.

Charter to ensure women's safety at night across London

24-Jul-2017 By Helen Gilbert

A new London-wide charter aimed at reducing the risk of crime against women on a night out will be unveiled next year, the capital’s night czar has revealed. 

National Pubwatch rewards four licensees for fighting crime and disorder

23-Jun-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Four licensees have each received a National Pubwatch 'Star Award' for their role in fighting crime and disorder in the late-night economy.

Legal

Staying on the right side of the law this Christmas

13-Dec-2016 By Poppleston Allen

The festive period will likely involve a police drink-drive campaign showing disturbing images and reinforcing the devastating effect that ‘just one more’ drink can have on families.

Sport

Illegal football supplier jailed for four years

13-Dec-2016 By Liam Coleman

The supplier of an illegal IPTV box has been jailed for four years in the first trial of its kind in the UK.

Health

MPs call for minimum unit pricing and lower drink-drive limit

06-Dec-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Government will look at whether minimum unit pricing and a reduction in the drink-drive limit in England will help tackle drink-related crimes and health problems, despite rejecting similar plans in 2013.

Premier League

Suppliers of illegal football jailed and fined £1m

04-Oct-2016 By Oli Gross

Two fraudsters who supplied illegal broadcasts of Premier League football to pubs have been jailed and ordered to pay close to £1m.

FACT prosecution

Leeds licensee fined £10k for illegal Sky use

22-Sep-2016 By James Evison

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) has undertaken a successful prosecution of a Leeds licensee for showing Sky Sports illegally.

PUB CRIME

Sex offender chef 'pulled customer's trousers down'

21-Sep-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A chef who pulled a man’s trousers down in the beer garden of a Yorkshire pub has been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.

What are Theresa May's views on pubs?

12-Jul-2016 By Oli Gross

With Theresa May set to become prime minister this week, The Morning Advertiser looks looks back at her record battling against booze and late-night disorder.

Legal advice

Legal Q&A: what the new Immigration Act means for the pub industry

25-May-2016 By Liam Coleman

"It surprised me how draconian it is now," Georgina Porter from law firm Weightmans said when asked about the Immigration Act 2016. The act came into force two weeks ago and so the Publican's Morning Advertiser spoke to Porter to find out...

Illegal football: pubco fined £120,000 and three employees face criminal records

06-Apr-2016 By Oli Gross

A pubco and three of its employees have been ordered to pay a record total of more than £120,000 for broadcasting Sky Sports illegally in three pubs.

Legal Advice

Expect a flurry of law changes to impact pubs

29-Feb-2016 By Jonathan Smith & Andy Grimsey

It looks as though the licensing world is about to see some important legal changes - many of which it could be argued are overdue.

Legislation

Hartlepool calls for more evidence before introducing UK's first Early Morning Restriction Order

26-Feb-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Hartlepool licensing committee has rejected a request by the Safer Hartlepool Partnership to consult on introducing the country’s first Early Morning Restriction Order (EMRO.)

Legislation

Immigration Bill: Fresh warnings about 'Draconian' new powers to close pubs

24-Feb-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Barrister Gary Grant has warned licensees that police and local authorities "have real teeth" to tackle pubs who employ illegal workers. 

Legislation

Boris considering more breathalysers - but rejects pub tests

17-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

London mayor Boris Johnson said he doesn't want to be breathalysed every time he enters a pub but is considering the potential benefits of ramping up on-the-door schemes in the capital.

Free responsible retailing scheme helps "reduce crime"

12-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

Police in Derbyshire are championing a free responsible retailing training course which they say has led to a drop in crime rates, in particular underage alcohol purchases.

Man who bulldozed own pub escapes charges

07-Oct-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A business man who demolished his own pub by driving a digger into it has been let of the hook - because he was destroying his own property.

Legal Advice

Handling the legal issues around designated premise supervisors

05-Oct-2015 By Poppleston Allen

This week's legal Q&A looks at applications for designated premises supervisors.

Capital's breathalyser schemes to be extended

23-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

On-the-door breathalyser schemes in 12 boroughs across London are to be extended for an indefinite period.

Freedom of Information

Exclusive: National rise in violent crime at pubs

16-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

Exclusive figures obtained by the PMA indicate a national trend of increasing violent crime in pubs.

Live football

Illegal suppliers of Premier League football jailed

21-Aug-2015 By Oli Gross

The owners of a company which supplied illegal Premier League football to pubs have been jailed for three and a half years.

Freedom of Information

Violent crime at London pubs shoots up

07-Aug-2015 By Oli Gross

Violent crime at London pubs has jumped during the past two years, exclusive figures have revealed.

Pubs seen as genuine assets to communities

06-Aug-2015 By Ed Bedington

The recent Greene King Leisure Tracker makes good reading for anyone running a pub — almost two out of three adults rate their pubs as an important community asset and a big contributor to community life.

Licencing

Brighton's oldest gay pub faces licence review after underage drinking sting

04-Aug-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Sussex police have demanded that the licence of Brighton-based pub the Bulldog be reviewed following ‘increasing concern’ about the way it is run.

Crime

Police proposals 'could prevent pub closures'

28-Jul-2015 By Emily Sutherland

ALMR says new changes to police funding could lead to fewer pub closures.

Analysis

Pub breathalysers: A breath of fresh air?

23-Jul-2015 By Oli Gross

The introduction of breathalyser tests at some pubs, clubs and bars across the country has been greeted with caution from industry leaders. But how have the schemes worked for licensees? Oli Gross reports.

Legal advice

Breath tests are unwelcome

23-Jul-2015 By Poppleston Allen

There has been coverage recently of a ‘voluntary scheme’ introduced in Newquay and Truro, where 21 licensed premises have agreed to introduce breathalyser tests on entry.

NTIA report: Regulation 'unfairly harming' late night venues

23-Jun-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Late night venues are being unfairly harmed by regulation and reduced opening hours, a report by sociologist Professor Frank Furedi on behalf of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has revealed.

Licensee hit with £7k fine for illegal Sky Sports coverage

13-May-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A Cheshire licensee is facing a fine of over £7,000 after showing Sky Sports illegally in his premises.

FACT convictions

Licensees hit with huge fine for illegal Sky Sports coverage

13-Apr-2015 By Mike Berry

Two licensees have been convicted and ordered to pay in excess of £17,000 in fines and costs for showing Sky Sports illegally in their premises.

Warrington licensee alleges police ‘vendetta’

02-Apr-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

A Warrington licensee hit out at the “outrageous” tactics of police officers, after he was arrested and faces trial next week for licensing breaches that had already been investigated during a civil review.

Licensing Act: Offences now carry 'potentially unlimited' fines

01-Apr-2015 By Helen Gilbert

Magistrates could hand out unlimited fines for offences under the Licensing Act 2003, following the removal of a cap on maximum penalties. 

Sky Sports offenders face unlimited fines

30-Mar-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

Licensees that are convicted for dishonestly showing Sky Sports matches without a commercial agreement will now be subject to an unlimited fine that was previously capped at £5,000 per offence.

Cheltenham nightclub boss jailed for VAT fraud

26-Feb-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

A nightclub director from Cheltenham who submitted false invoices in an attempt to steal almost £40,000 in VAT has been jailed for eight months, following an investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Islington licensee hit with £4,800 fine for illegal Sky Sports coverage

18-Feb-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

The licensee of the Halfway House Bar in Islington, north London, has been convicted for showing Sky Sports illegally and ordered to pay £4,831 in fines and costs.

Illegal factory that made 'vodka' using windscreen wash shut down

16-Feb-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

An illegal distillery that made ‘vodka’ using windscreen wash was shut down and nearly 2,500 litres of fake wine and spirits were seized as part of an enforcement campaign against international gangs producing and selling counterfeit food and alcohol,...