'Pillars of the community' in Hungerford pub disgrace

UPDATE: Anthony Horne successfully appealed against the assault conviction which is the subject of our court report, below.

Reading Crown Court overturned the conviction on September 19, 2014, and Mr Horne was declared not guilty of any offence.

TWO “PILLARS of the community” caused drunken mayhem in a Hungerford pub, then lied in a bid to save their reputations, a court heard. The pair, enraged at being refused more alcohol in the John O’Gaunt pub, became abusive and then violent, Newbury magistrates heard. In the dock on Thursday, April 24, were aspiring schoolteacher Sian Allsebrook, aged 34, and 54-year-old founder and head coach at KD Gymnastics, Anthony Horne, both of Sarum Way, Hungerford. Magistrates rejected their claim that they were victims of an unprovoked attack by pub staff. Licensee Mark Genders said he immediately noticed when the pair entered the crowded pub around 10.45pm on November 24 last year because “it was obvious they had been drinking and they were loud - very loud.” He said their antics caused a group from Hungerford Round Table to leave and he and his staff asked the pair several times to behave. As closing time approached, said Mr Genders, “the defendants were very drunk and wanted more to drink - they were refused.” It was then that Ms Allsebrook, who said she worked at the nearby Bear Hotel and was a former employee of the Three Swans in Hungerford, “got right in the face of (barmaid) Tracey Hewer and began shouting abuse and swearing.” Mr Genders said: “I told them to leave - it’s not the sort of behaviour we would ever put up with. They refused, basically.” He said he and head chef Jamie Smith tried to guide Ms Allsebrook to the door but, he added: “She resisted by putting one foot each side of the door jam. Mr Horne then grabbed me in a headlock and was punching me in the face.” He said Ms Allsebrook attacked his manager, Rory Hamnmond, kicking him between the legs. Mr Hammond said one customer had already complained about the defendants’ “raucous” behaviour and they were eventually refused more alcohol and asked to go - “and that’s when all sorts of crazy stuff started.” When he and colleagues tried to evict Ms Allsebrook, said Mr Hammond, “Mr Horne came for me, swinging for me; he grabbed my shirt and I lost a button; I grabbed him and we fell to the floor and I held him down for a while.” Eventually the pair were ejected but began kicking the door and swearing and the police were caled, the court heard. Mr Horne, a manager for an electricity company, said he had lived in Hungerford for 37 years and never been in trouble before. He dismissed the prosecution case as “lies” and insisted he had been attacked when he complained about a meal he had been served on a previous occasion.. Ms Allsebrook, who said she was studying for a schoolteaching qualification, claimed Mr Genders, Mr Smith and Mr Hammond had all leaped on her fiance “like a rugby scrum” after he complained about the meal. But customer Phil Bibby said he saw Ms Allsebrook behaving aggressively towards Miss Hewer and witnessed Mr Horne punching Mr Hammond. Ms de Redman told the pair: “You are both pillars of the community and you knew your behaviour was appalling. You, Mr Horne, will lose your enhanced (Criminal Records Bureau) CRB check status if convicted. So you concocted a story - but the lies are unravelling.” Ms Allsebrook was convicted on two counts - using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause fear of unlawful violence and using the same to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Mr Horne was cleared of assaulting Mr Genders by beating him but convicted of assaulting Mr Hammond. Ms Allsebrook was fined £200 with £300 costs and statutory £20 surcharge. She was also ordered to pay Miss Hewer £100 compensation. Mr Horne was fined £350 with £150 costs and £35 statutory surcharge. He was ordered to pay Mr Hammond £100 compensation.