Hotel altercation sees assault charge dropped against publican

Camera footage shows a publican’s hand on a woman’s neck after a dispute about drunken patrons in the neighbourhood. The man had his assault charge dropped as police found the use of force “lawful”.

A pub owner who placed his hands on a woman’s throat during a confrontation had his assault charge dropped because police found the “use of force during the incident was lawful”.

Mark Keegan, the owner of the Gladstone Hotel in Stockton, Newcastle, has been in a long-running dispute with neighbour Rainnie Carter over noise levels and drunken patrons damaging property.

On the evening of May 28, 2021, Ms Carter claims several drunk patrons damaged a hedge near her home.

Ms Carter said she called the police twice, then rang the pub to have the damage documented. “The police had not arrived and the hotel owner came out and he said: ‘That is public property, it’s on the nature strip, I’m not doing anything’.

A pub owner placed his hands on Rainnie Carter’s throat but the charge has since been dropped by police.

“I was frustrated and said: ‘You have to take some ­responsibility’ and followed behind him to the hotel.”

According to Ms Carter, a physical altercation then ­occurred between herself and Mr Keegan.

CCTV footage of the alleged incident.

It shows pub owner Mark Keegan and Ms Carter.

“I reported the (incident). (The police) looked at the footage and charged him with assault, then two weeks later a licensing police manager showed up, investigating me for trespass,” she said.

The assault charge against Mr Keegan was dropped and police charged Ms Carter with trespassing after she ­entered the hotel to wait for police.

When asked why the ­assault charge was dropped, Newcastle City Police district professional standards Inspector Anita Kruse said a ­review had found the original charge of assault against Mr Keegan was wrong.

“Once the matter was further investigated it was determined that the charge against Mr Keegan were withdrawn due to the fact that Mr Keegan’s use of force during the incident was lawful and reasonable to enough of a ­degree that there may have been insufficient evidence to a prima facie level to proceed with the assault charge,” ­Inspector Kruse said.

Gladstone Hotel Publican Mark Keegan had his assault charge dropped.

Ms Carter, a mother of a toddler, bought the house next door to the hotel in 2014 and admits there has been tension between her and the publican. She obtained a noise abatement order, which she says did little.

When contacted by The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Keegan said he had no comment.

A police spokeswoman said: “As the (trespassing) matter remains before the court, it would be inappropriate to provide comment.”