Customer attacked assistant at store

A Welshpool man who punched a shop assistant when he would not let him buy alcohol has been jailed for 28 days.

Geraint Doughty, 51, of Oldford Rise, Welshpool, admitted assaulting David Hamar by beating him on June 13.

Yesterday, after he said he would not comply with a community punishment, magistrates in Welshpool said they had no option but to sentence him to 28 days in prison.

Mr Kevin Challenor, prosecuting, said that Doughty went into the One Stop Shop in Newtown, but the shop assistant refused to serve him alcohol because he felt he was already intoxicated.

The court heard Doughty was escorted outside but then continued to argue, punching Mr Hamar on the nose and kicking him.

He told police he had drunk 12 cans of strong lager that day and remembered nothing.

Mr Robert Hanratty, for Doughty, said although magistrates had previously said they were looking at a community based punishment for his client, he was set in his ways and would not be happy with a probation order. He was also unfit for work in the community and his address was not suitable for a tagging order, the court was told.

He asked magistrates to consider a fine and compensation saying Doughty was not a violent person.

But magistrates said because Doughty was not prepared to comply with a community order they had no option but to give him a custodial sentence.