Youth accused of murdering Punch host

An 18-year-old youth has been charged with murder following the death of licensee Bob Todd near his pub in Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire, last weekend.

The landlord was struck by a car near the Star pub after confronting a group of teenagers who had assaulted a 22-year-old local man on the village green.

The incident happened in the early hours of Saturday and Todd was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

The popular licensee, who was a 56-year-old married father of two, had run the Punch-owned village pub for nine years and had become a pillar of the local community. The Star had become a centre for a range of community activities and charity fund-raising events over the years.

The Star remained closed after the incident and floral tributes were left outside the pub's door over the weekend.

Todd also operated a second Punch house in the area, the Bridge Inn.

Punch customer services director Francis Patton said: 'Bob was an exceptional retailer who had twice won our Shine regional awards.

'I was with him only six weeks ago and like many others at Punch am shocked to hear this news. He had a great personality and worked tirelessly for charity and other causes during his time at the Star and will be sorely missed.

Alexander Dix, 18, from Kingswood, Bristol, has been accused of Todd's murder.

Three 17-year-old boys and a 16-year-old boy have been accused of violent disorder.

Burglar who struck at 16 pubs is jailed

A prolific pub burglar who raided 16 pubs in the Cambridge area has been jailed for three and a half years.

Cambridge Crown Court heard that Jim Twist, 49, began stealing from pubs to fund his drug habit.

Twist, who lived in his car, was caught after breaking into two pubs on the same day in May, the court heard last week. He then showed police other pubs he had raided.

Twist pleaded guilty to burgling the Waggon & Horses, Milton, on 1 May, where he stole cigarettes and cash worth £1,250. He also admitted burgling the Fort St George, Cambridge, with intent to steal and raiding Ye Olde Sun in St Neots where he stole £130. He asked for 13 other pub raids to be considered.

Man admits assaulting licensee

A man who attempted to strangle a Scunthorpe host who was also a friend has been ordered to do 200 hours of community work.

Antony Ward, 41, admitted assaulting host Karl Stansfield of the Maple Leaf, causing him actual bodily harm. He also admitted assault on Andrea Botfield, who knew the licensee.

North Lincolnshire magistrates heard last week that Ward began strangling Stansfield after the licensee commented on an incident in which Ward raised his voice towards Botfield.

Ward then head-butted the host in the face and threw the contents of his glass over Botfield. He punched Stansfield after the licensee said he was barred for life.

Stansfield needed four stitches for a cut above the eye, following the attack on 21 January.

Steven Baggott, mitigating, said Ward 'bitterly regrets the attack on his friend, Mr Stansfield.

Ward, of Ottawa Road, Scunthorpe, was also ordered to pay £250 compensation to the licensee, plus £87 court costs. He has been barred from the pub for six months.

Masked raider used ladder in failed bid

A masked robber armed with a pistol tried to raid a Coventry pub while standing on a ladder. The man climbed a ladder outside the Red Lion in Ansty Road, Walsgrave, and knocked on the office window to demand that staff hand over cash on Saturday, 30 July.

The manager, who was cashing up at the Ember Inns pub, ran out of the room. The thief then climbed down the ladder and ran off. Police have taken the ladder for forensic tests.

A police spokesman said: 'We are looking for anybody who was in that area at the time and saw any males acting suspiciously and who may have been carrying a large metal ladder, or any vehicles that were parked near that location with a ladder on the roof, to contact police.

Head-butter is banned for six months

A man who head-butted two pub customers while drunk has been banned from all licensed premises for six months.

Kelly Seymour Leech, 29, was also given a 7pm-to-7am curfew on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the next six months and a two-year community rehabilitation order.

Leech admitted common assault on two men at the Sour Point pub, West End, Leicester, on 23 November last year, when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court last week.

The two were head-butted, sustaining black eyes and facial injuries, while enjoying a game of pool, the court heard.

Leech also pleaded guilty to three charges of criminal damage. He broke a mirrored glass door panel worth £200 at the Huntsman pub, Narborough Road, on 29 May.

Recorder Nigel Godsmark said Leech, of Tudor Road, was only spared jail because written references gave a picture of a 'responsible and worthwhile individual when not drunk. Leech was ordered to pay £245 court costs.

'Suspicious' blaze under investigation

Police are treating a fire at an Essex pub as 'suspicious. The roof and the upper floor of the Coach and Horses in Old Road, Clacton, were alight when fire crews arrived shortly before midnight on Sunday.

Old Road and nearby Coppins Road were closed off until 9am on Monday morning. Police have launched an investigation into the fire.