Attacker tried to get rid of CCTV evidence after assaulting a man in a Rugby pub - but his plan was doomed to failure

After being arrested for assaulting another man in a Rugby pub, David Webster phoned his girlfriend who worked there asking her to ‘lose’ the CCTV recording of the incident.

But his bid to escape responsibility for the attack was doomed to failure – because the police had already seized the incriminating footage, a judge has heard.

Webster (46) of Dunchurch Road, Rugby, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to wounding and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Prosecutor Amrisha Parathalingam said that in November last year the police had a report of a fight at the Prince of Wales pub in Drury Lane, Rugby.

When officers arrived the landlady confirmed there had been a fight and customer Robert Dixon said he had been assaulted.

He explained that when he had gone to the toilets he had been grabbed by someone he had earlier seen with Webster, and had managed to get away but was then struck.

The blow split the inside of his lip, in which he needed ten stitches, and as a result he had to have time off work because he was unable to wear the mask he was required to wear.

So the officers viewed a CCTV recording which showed a scuffle in which Webster became involved and punched Mr Dixon several times and kicked him once to the face.

“He did not appear to have any justifiable reason to attack him,” observed Miss Parathalingam.

Webster, who was sitting at a table and had an injury to his right knuckles, was arrested, and told the officers he was there because his girlfriend worked at the pub.

In the cell area at Rugby police station Webster took his phone out and made a call in which, before it could be taken from him, he quickly told the person on the other end: “Lose the CCTV.”

And when the police checked, they found the call had been made to his girlfriend, Miss Parathalingam added.

David Everett, defending, conceded that Webster had ‘bad antecedents,’ which the court heard included convictions for violence, but he had been out of trouble since the incident.

Mr Everett said Webster had been doing his best to deal with his drink-related problems, and had been in contact with the help organisation Change Grow Live.

And he pointed out that in September Webster had badly slashed the back of his hand and arm because he was depressed about his appearance in court.

Describing what the CCTV showed, Mr Everett said: “Mr Dixon came out of the toilets and could be seen having an argument with another man, and the defendant came over and initially pushed Mr Dixon away.

“It developed and another man tried to escort Mr Dixon from the public house and hit Mr Dixon who went to the ground.

“The defendant then went over and punched out at him as he was getting up and kicked him.

“Apart from some finger-pointing it then seemed to stop. There was then a confrontation between Mr Dixon and the first man, but the defendant went forward and punched Mr Dixon once to the mouth, which caused the injury.”

And of Webster’s attempt to pervert the course of justice, Mr Everett added: “That was a matter that was doomed to failure because the police had already seized the evidence.”

Jailing Webster, Judge Barry Berlin told him: “Mr Dixon was possibly drunk, and was certainly being a nuisance.

“But you got involved and, without provocation, punched him to the face several times and kicked him to the face as he was getting up.

“Three minutes later you further assaulted him. He may have been being a nuisance, but not to you. You had no reason to attack him. You had known him for many years and just didn’t like him.

“You then made a phone call, quite deliberately telling your girlfriend to lose the CCTV which, of course, showed what you were doing.”