30/04/2010

Pub Crawl Victim Wants Law Change

A man who was knocked out by the boss of an organised pub crawl, has said there is a problem with the law that allows this kind of event to happen.

Mark Roberts, a commercial diver, had approached Hilton to seek reassurance that he would get a good night’s sleep.

But Hilton, a 6ft 4in nightclub bouncer, responded with a foul-mouthed outburst and punched the older man on the chin with such force that he fell to the ground, banged his head and fell unconscious.

Hilton, of Muston, North Yorkshire, was given six months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay Mr Roberts £1,500 compensation and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

The 61-year-old pleaded for a judge not to jail Ryan Hilton over the assault in Bangor, Gwynedd instead blaming lack of legislation.

Mr Roberts said events held by Carnage UK led to "binge-drinking and the mayhem" in university towns.

He added: "In a sense, I see Hilton as a victim of his own company, of Carnage UK.

"I certainly know that North Wales Police have tried their upmost to rid the streets of north Wales of Carnage. Other university town police forces have tried the same but there is no legislation.

"It's still lawful for organisations like the Varsity Leisure Group, which owns Carnage, to take upwards of 2,000 students on a binge drink and get them as drunk as possible, for their profits. It's still lawful.

"That's where I see a problem with the law."

Hilton no longer works for the pub crawl firm and the court heard his conviction means he can no longer work as a doorman.

NUS Wales President Katie Dalton said the union had "always taken a strong stance against Carnage, which encourages binge drinking and puts the welfare of students at risk".

(LB/GK)

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