A man faces 200 hours of unpaid work after assaulting two people at a wedding.
Philip Patrick Farrelly of The Glebe in Campton was sentenced at Bedford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after being found guilty at trial.
The prosecution recounted the incident. Farrelly’s partner works at a hotel just outside Bedford. Her daughter undertook cleaning work at the hotel and was promised extra rates. But she was only paid the standard rate.
Manager Nasir Kassam told Farrelly’s partner, who was singing at the wedding, that this would be remedied soon. But Farrelly, 55, entered Mr Kassam’s office overlooking the dance floor and swore at him.
Farrelly threatened to throw him off the balcony. Hotel employee Margaret Creedon then arrived after being alerted to the commotion. She put herself between the two men and tried to call the police but Farrelly knocked the phone out of her hand and kicked it under the table.
He then pushed Mr Kassam backwards against the balcony edge, which is a 25 foot drop to the floor, and he also pushed Mrs Creedon.
Mr Kassam shouted for help, the bride looked up and saw what was happening and other members of staff entered the office and pulled the two men apart.
Farrelly picked up a kettle with the apparent intention of attacking Mr Kassam but the bride intervened and he put it back.
Farrelly was convicted of assaulting both Mr Kassam and Mrs Creedon by beating.
The prosecution continued: “The fear of injury was very significant. He had a real intention of committing that act.”
The defence described how Farrelly had written a letter explaining himself to the magistrates and his elderly neighbour had also written him a character reference.
She described the act as out of character. It was an unplanned incident, for which the hard working family man has shown considerable regret, she said.
The magistrates described it as a “sustained attack in a public place” and sentenced Farelly to a 12 week prison sentence for each offence, to run concurrently, which will be suspended for 12 months.
He will have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,050 in costs and compensation.