Bar ordered to shut after worker glassed customer

CCTV footage showed the worker unsteady on his feet and swigging from a bottle of spirits as he served customers at Vegas on The Bullring four days before Christmas.

He then came from the behind the bar, grabbed a glass and smashed it into the face of another man who was playing pool with friends around the corner from the bar area.

The suspect was then shown to pick up a pool ball and punch the stunned man several times with it in his hand.

The victim was taken to hospital with a three-inch laceration to his face.

The shocking footage was shown to Wakefield Council’s licensing sub-committee this week after West Yorkshire Police called for a review into the premises, backed by Wakefield Council’s licensing enforcement officer, Paul Dean.

During the meeting it was heard how the authorities had been involved with Vegas following a number of problems in recent years, including anti-social behaviour.

Mr Dean said: “Some form of enforcement action has had to be taken every time. As you can see, there’s been a slow build up over time. There has to come a point when you say enough is enough.”

But license holder for the premises, Steve Anderson, told the committee that the man working had only been helping out that night and worked on an ad hoc basis.

Nobody had any explanation as to why the man had attacked the customer, but Mr Anderson said the worker was not well and had not been able to get hold of his medication.

“It was out of character for our bar,” he said of the incident.

“There have been very few serious incidents in the last 10 years. We’ve had our fair share of minor issues that we have dealt with very well.

“We do not claim to be the best venue in Wakefield, but when we are asked to work with licensing we always do.”

Police confirmed that a 29-year-old man had been arrested after the incident and was later released pending further inquiries.