A DRINKER left a fellow customer at a village pub with facial fractures after reacting badly to being told to leave the premises, a court heard.

Lee Willis was warned to expect an “inevitable” jail sentence after admitting charges arising from his violent outburst at The Shoes, in Sacriston, near Chester-le-Street.

Durham Crown Court was told that Willis was drinking with others on the afternoon of Friday February 5, but, due to his increasingly unruly behaviour, was asked to leave by the landlady of the Plawsworth Road pub.

He did not take kindly to this and responded by tipping over the pool table, throwing a glass at the plasma screen television and pushing over a gaming machine, leaving a trail of damage.

The landlady went outside to ring the police to report the incident, but Willis followed and tried to grab the phone from her hands, making threats as he did so.

Two other customers came out of the pub to try to calm the situation, but one was punched to the head and the other suffered a blow to the side of the face, causing him to fall to the ground, unconscious.

He suffered fractures to the jaw and cheek requiring reconstructive surgery.

Appearing at a plea and trial preparation hearing at the court via video link from Durham Prison, 24-year-old Willis, of Ripon Court, Sacriston, admitted charges of causing an affray as well as unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm.

His barrister, Michael Collins, asked for an adjournment prior to sentence to allow for preparation of a medical report on Willis.

“The defendant, when he handed himself in to police, was under the influence of drugs.

“He’s had mental health problems and severe anger management issues.

“This was a short, violent incident which appears to have come out of nowhere.

“He’s not under any false hope as to the sentence.

“It has to be accepted, it clearly crosses the custody threshold.” added Mr Collins.

David Crook, prosecuting, told the court that an up-dated medical report is awaited on the victim, who has undergone an operation to repair the fracture to his face.

“He had a metal plate inserted in the chin the following day, but we need an up-dated medical report and victim personal statement.”

Adjourning sentence until April 15, Judge Christopher Prince told Willis: “In your case, custody is inevitable.”