A drunk on a night out in Old Town ended in up in handcuffs after punching security staff at a bar.

Joseph Theobald, of Albion Street, pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating when he appeared in the dock at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The court heard that the 35-year-old accounts director had gone out for lunch with his sister on February 24, 2024, and continued to drink alcohol after she left.

Kate Prince, prosecuting, explained that staff at Star Bar on Wood Street “had made the decision to remove [Theobald] from the premises because they had received reports of him causing difficulties.

“CCTV footage shows him being removed and two members of staff engaging him in a conversation. The defendant then punches [the victim] in the face.

“Police attend very quickly and arrest him.”

The victim suffered a cut to the face that did not require hospital treatment.

Jeremy Yuille, defending, handed to magistrates a letter of apology written by the defendant.

Mr Yuille added: “He was remorseful. These events have brought him up short.

“What brought this lesson home to him was that he has no recollection of this incident.

“He apologises for his actions and does not seek to justify them. What he did was wrong and he can’t offer any explanation.

“Drinking is not usually an issue for him but he recognises that it’s something he needs to address.”

Magistrates mentioned Theobald’s previous convictions which similarly involved alcohol and violence against another person.

He was convicted of being drunk and disorderly in 2012 and narrowly avoided jail after biting the arm of a police officer and strangling another in July 2017.

The defendant has now stopped drinking alcohol altogether.

His solicitor said: “He has been to Alcoholics Anonymous which forced him to take stock in a deep way of where his drinking has taken him.

“This reinforces his commitment to address what’s behind his offending.”

Theobald works for a local company, earning an annual salary of £50,000, which magistrates will take into account when considering the amount of compensation owed to his victim.

The sentencing has been adjourned until July 16 so that he can discuss with the probation service possible options for a community order that is likely to be imposed as punishment for this latest offence.

His previous bail conditions of being banned from entering Old Town or any Swindon nightclub were removed.