Ketchup attacker is given community service

Rhett Lea Cheetham, 25, of Oakland Croft, Huthwaite, had been ordered to leave the Fox and Crown pub in Sutton before grabbing the sauce.

Appearing before Mansfield Magistrates’ Court, he admitted a charge of common assault against the female deputy manager.

For the Crown prosecutor Robert Carr said Cheetham had been in the Dalestorth Road pub on the evening of September 17.

The deputy manager had noticed Cheetham with a group in the pub and told him to leave. It was heard how he knew he was not allowed in.

He then called her names, using ‘foul and abusive language’ and said that she was the only staff member who had asked him to leave.

She then told him he had 10 seconds to leave or she would call the police.

The staff member then walked away, but when she turned around Cheetham was stood right behind her and squirted the ketchup into her eye and face.

She was not injured by his actions , but Cheetham was arrested and questioned a short time later.

Mr Carr told the court how Cheetham had accepted what he did, and knew he should not have been in the pub.

In his defence, he said the deputy manager had been ‘rude’ to him but said he should have not acted in that way, although did laugh about when interviewed.

He was not represented at court and when asked if 
he wanted to explain his actions, he did not want to elaborate.

On top of the unpaid work, he was ordered to pay £20 compensation to the victim, and £150 costs.

The court was told how Cheetham had previous convictions including possession of Class A drugs earlier this year and assault from April last year.

The magistrates said hundreds of pounds were still outstanding from fines and costs he incurred.

Cheetham explained that he had recently joined a new company and had only been getting one shift a week.

He said: “I have not been avoiding it, I just did not have the means to pay it.”