Jail for stag party guest who admitted threatening behaviour and criminal damage (27 August 2015)

A stag party guest who smashed up a bar has been jailed for 16 weeks at Preston Magistrates’ Court.

The Daily Mail reports that 26-year-old Liam Costelloe went on the rampage at the Perfect 10s lap dancing bar in Preston – and is reported to have smashed up the bar “like a coconut shy”.

Costelloe hurled chairs at mirrors and shattered bottles of spirits, causing £100-worth of damage. He also threatened to smash the manager’s face with a champagne bottle, magistrates heard.

Costelloe was drinking at the bar with 17 friends on 24 July, when they were told to leave. It is reported that he pelted manager Stephanie Watson in the face with champagne corks – and threatened to “smash” her face in with the champagne bottle.

The court heard that Ms Watson had cowered behind the bar to protect herself – and had then run into the street to the nearest taxi rank to escape.

The incident was caught on the club's CCTV cameras and shows Costello smashing the bar up with his friends.

Bar owner Barry Hastewell told Preston Magistrates’ Court that the then newly-revamped club was “like a coconut shy”.

“We had just finished doing the revamp, the Saturday before,” said Mr Hastewell. “We couldn't believe it.

“There were 18 lads but it was mainly him. Pushing a table over seemed to fuel him and he went towards the bar.

“He looked like he was at the fair throwing coconuts. He kept throwing glasses.”

The court was told by the prosecution that the manager Stephanie Watson had been in the club at around midnight, when a group of about 20 men had arrived in three groups and went to the booths upstairs.

“Around 1am, she had to ask them to keep the noise down. They were on a stag do,” the prosecution told the court.

“At 1.15am, she heard the girls upstairs screaming – and describes walking into chaos, with the men chanting and rapping.

“One girl said one of the men had thrown a glass and she saw smashed glass on the floor. The manager felt a cork hit her on back of her head,” the court heard.

The manager had grabbed Costello by neck and pushed him towards steps because she felt threatened and wanted him to leave. It was then he threatened to attack her with the champagne bottle. Ms Watson allowed the men to go downstairs and Costelloe had “swiped” glasses off the bar, before picking up a pouffé and threatening to throw it at the manager, at which point she hid. However, he threw it at the bar, breaking the mirror, smashing bottles and causing display glasses to fall to the floor.

By the time police arrived, Costelloe had removed his top and was heading towards door staff. He then ran away and was found hiding in the stairwell of nearby flats.

At Preston Magistrates Court, Costelloe pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour towards Stephanie Watson, causing her to fear unlawful violence would be used, and criminal damage.

His defence lawyer told the court Costelloe was “genuinely remorseful towards his conduct” – and he and his friends had acted in “a few moments of stupidity” on a stag do when they had got drunk.

The bench said Costelloe had a £1,623 outstanding debt to the court for previous matters.

Costelloe was jailed for 16 weeks and banned from the club for two years.

He was also ordered to pay an £80 surcharge and an £150 court charge.

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