Man fined over town restaurant brawl

Lee Michael Harrison jumped over a rope barrier into the outside eating area of Café St Malo on the Parade to confront a man who had shouted abuse at him as he walked past.

Harrison (33), of Bagatelle Lane, St Saviour, pleaded guilty to assault and being disorderly on licensed premises. He was bound over to be of good behaviour for three months and fined a total of £640.

Legal adviser Advocate Darry Robinson said that the fight broke out at lunchtime on 27 April.

‘The two grappled with each other and the defendant accepts he threw a punch. A witness inside the restaurant described the defendant as the main aggressor,’ said Advocate Robinson.

At one point the victim’s girlfriend intervened and was knocked to the ground. At another point, the victim threw a chair but not in the direction of anyone in particular, the Magistrate’s Court heard.

The victim sustained only minor injuries. The men had previously had disputes over money, the court heard.

Advocate James Bell, defending, said that Harrison was sober and walking through town when the victim shouted abuse at him. ‘This was nothing more than a scuffle. They were grabbing, jostling and swinging their arms,’ he said.

Advocate Bell said that Harrison had no relevant previous convictions and was deemed to be a man of good character. A social inquiry report also concluded that he was at a low risk of reoffending.

In sentencing, Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris said that the incident happened at a lunchtime and a ‘number of people would have been disturbed by what they saw’.

He said that it was accepted that there was a ‘bad history’ between the two and that the victim had provoked Harrison but added: ‘That does not excuse your behaviour.’

Harrison was fined £500 for the assault and also ordered to pay a further £140 in parking fines for infractions committed in December 2016 and June this year.

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