January 22, 2019 3.05 pm This story is over 62 months old

Punchbowl landlord and councillor guilty of assault

The pub was put up for sale after the incident

A pub landlord and South Holland district councillor, known as Punchbowl Pete, admitted assaulting a man who had been ejected from his premises.

Peter Williams, who runs the Punchbowl Inn on New Road, Spalding, had been due to stand trial at Lincoln Crown Court alongside his son Ben this morning accused of assault.

But before a jury was sworn in the two men both pleaded guilty.

Peter Williams, 65, of New Road, Spalding, admitted assaulting Gary Ward causing him actual bodily harm.

Ben Williams, 39, of Spring Gardens, Spalding, denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm but admitted a lesser charge of assaulting Mr Ward by beating.

His plea was accepted by the prosecution.

The charges followed an incident outside the Punchbowl Inn in Spalding on 11 January 2018.

Judge Simon Hirst adjourned sentence until tomorrow (Wed) morning.

He granted bail to both men and told them “There are no promises but at the moment I’m not inclined to lock you up.”

The Punch Bowl’s leasehold is currently up for sale for £90,000 after the Williams family decided to call last orders in February.