A CONSTRUCTION worker bashed two pub staff after he and his drunk mates were denied entry, then later returned to threaten one of the victims about "giving evidence".
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Richard Giles Clarke represented himself in Tamworth Local Court when he pleaded guilty to assaulting the Courthouse Hotel's duty manager and another worker when a Friday night out took a dark turn.
The 31-year-old went back to the pub - which he had been banned from - months later and bailed up another staff member as he left work, then threatened one of the victims over the phone.
"I just want to apologise to the court, and those involved as well," Clarke told the court.
"My intention was never to go out and cause drama."
The court heard Clarke had pinned the hotel's duty manager to a wall and punched him twice in the head, and had kicked the RSA marshal in the head while he was on the ground, on the night of November 25.
Magistrate Julie Soars fined him $300 for the kick, and handed him his first criminal conviction.
"That can be very dangerous, sir, something could have gone horribly wrong," she told him.
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She sentenced him to 12-month good behaviour orders for the punches, which she said were "not much better", as well as for one count of stalk or intimidate. He was ordered to do 40 hours of community service, and must pay a $250 fine for a second count.
The "serious" charges were laid after Clarke went back to the venue in April and spoke to another staff member and one of the victims, telling him "I'll f***ing bash ya".
"It would have been very frightening for them, you should have been staying away from them," Ms Soars said.
"Part of the problem was not having been given any bail conditions to begin with."
Clarke was also banned from drinking booze in licensed venues for a year.
"Sometimes I see people as they're starting to spiral down, don't let that be you," Ms Soars warned him.
Police arrested the Queensland man as he walked along Peel Street after the drama unfolded.
Clarke was out with a 32-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman when they were barred from entering the Courthouse Hotel about 10.40pm "due to their state of intoxication", agreed facts said.
The co-accused man and woman began to attack the duty manager, who told them to "move along, you're banned from the venue".
The RSA marshall tried to step in and separate them, but tripped on the concrete kerb.
Clarke approached him and kicked him in the head while he was on the ground.
My intention was never to go out and cause drama.
- Richard Giles Clarke in Tamworth Local Court
Then, as the duty manager tried to walk away, Clarke followed.
Despite security trying to shield him, Clarke "manages to pin [the victim] to the front wooden wall of the premises, and punches [him] twice to the side of the head".
Agreed facts show Clarke returned to the venue on the night of April 23 and confronted a worker - who wasn't involved in the initial assaults - as he tried to get in a taxi.
"Where's your f***ing boss, ring your f***ing boss," Clarke told him.
He grabbed the worker's phone and spoke to the RSA marshal he'd kicked in the head.
He said something like "I heard you f***in' giving evidence against me", and "why don't you come down here and I'll f***in' bash ya", according to agreed facts.
The taxi took the worker straight to Tamworth Police Station.
CCTV at the Courthouse Hotel captured the events.
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