A MAN was left needing hospital treatment after taking his row with another man outside of a Wetherspoon pub and coming to blows.

Peter Arden and Mark Travers initially engaged in a “slagging match” of words inside The Lord Wimborne in Poole after the latter thought he should have been served at the bar first.

This developed into the pair going outside the Lagland Street pub and fighting each other.

Travers punched Mr Arden which led to him falling to the ground and hitting his head.

Further punches continued from Travers while the other man was “defenceless” on the floor.

Travers, 60 and of Darby’s Lane, Poole, admitted a charge of inflicting unlawful grievous bodily harm following events on the morning of August 9, 2018.

Bournemouth Echo: Mark Travers, 60 and of Darby's Lane, Poole, was handed a suspended sentence by Judge Stephen Mark Travers, 60 and of Darby's Lane, Poole, was handed a suspended sentence by Judge Stephen

A sentencing hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, February 19, was told the incident started after Travers became “upset” that Mr Arden, who was 68 at the time and is now 71, had been allowed to order before him at the bar.

Mr Arden took his drink and sat down in the venue, but Travers approached him on crutches and further verbals ensued.

Prosecuting, Tim Bradbury said Travers asked Mr Arden if he wanted to take it outside, which he agreed to.

“A few words were exchanged before they started exchanging blows,” said Mr Bradbury.

“At this stage it was six of one and half a dozen of another. The defendant punched Mr Arden which led to him falling to the ground. He hit the back of his head and suffered an abrasion.

“Once he had gone to the ground, the defendant continued to punch Mr Arden to the face. Mr Arden would appear to be defenceless.

“He thought the fight was over because he had been knocked to the ground.”

Mr Bradbury said a member of the public told them to stop fighting before the defendant got up and walked away. Mr Arden required medical attention and he was taken to hospital. He had suffered a fracture to a bone around his left eye.

The court heard Travers contacted police shortly after the incident to hand himself in.

At the police station he made full admissions about what happened, stating “there was punching at each other and the other chap had come off worst”.

Mr Bradbury said the defendant felt both men were at fault.

Mitigating, Tom Wilkins told the court that Travers, who has fibromyalgia, apologised for his behaviour and hoped his regret and remorse had been shown from the moment he rang police.

Mr Wilkins said the defendant was buying a coffee at The Lord Wimborne before the fight and alcohol played no part in his actions.

Judge Stephen Climie handed the defendant a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a four-month overnight curfew requirement, as well as an order to pay £500 compensation.

Addressing Travers, the judge said: “Your behaviour nearly two and half years ago on a morning when you went to Wetherspoons for a coffee was quite disgraceful.”

Judge Climie added: “Some of his (Mr Arden’s) injuries were caused by your unlawful violence.”

Questions over delay

The judge asked the prosecuting barrister why there was such a big time gap between the defendant handing himself in and him being charged with an offence.

The court heard Travers was not charged until September of last year.

Mr Bradbury said he had attempted to gain an explanation for this but had been unable to get any answers.

During his sentencing remarks, Judge Climie referenced that the matter had been "hanging over" the defendant for a two-and-a-half-year period through no fault of his own.