A man was ordered to leave a bar but came back with a knife. It took three door staff to wrestle Florin Ursu to the ground who then spat in one doorman’s mouth.
Police were called and the 29-year-old was arrested, Caernarfon Crown Court heard. A judge said carrying knives causes people great concern and the doorman had feared he could catch something from the saliva in the “disgusting” incident in Rhyl in April.
Ursu, of East Parade, Rhyl, pleaded guilty to possessing the knife in Water Street, Rhyl, and was jailed for 12 months. He also admitted to battery on Connor Poole but there was no separate penalty for that offence.
Prosecutor Brett Williamson said Ursu had been at The Cove Bar on Water Street in Rhyl on April 11 at 10pm.
He became agitated and was raising his voice. At one point he was slapping his own face while shouting, said the prosecutor.
He was aggressive and had to be thrown out of the bar. He was pushed to the ground by a member of the door staff and was helped up but told to go home.
The court heard Ursu did leave but returned around closing time at 2.30am. There were half a dozen people in the bar.
Mr Williamson said doorman Connor Poole saw him and immediately pushed Ursu out the door but he pulled out a knife.
He said: “Both Connor Poole and a colleague Sophie Bancroft tackled him and brought him to the ground. Although the knife came into contact with Connor Poole he was not injured.” Another doorman from a neighbouring bar came to help.
But while on the ground Ursu spat in Mr Poole’s mouth. Police were called and he was arrested. He admitted drinking beer that night but mainly answered no comment to questions.
In a statement Mr Poole said he had had to take a few days off work to get over the incident. He is now more cautious and wears a stab vest at work.
Elen Owen, defending, said her client said he had the knife to “protect himself” because he had previously been attacked by people while playing pool.
It was a small, kitchen knife and he hadn’t hurt anyone. He is anxious to pay Mr Poole compensation for the spitting incident.
Ms Owen added: “He puts the incident down to his quick temper and mental health problems.”
The judge told Ursu, who had the benefit of a Romanian interpreter, the incident hadn’t been out of character because he previously assaulted a local man.
The nature of his mental problems was unclear. But spitting had been a “quite disgusting thing to do.”
Handing down the jail term, he added: “The carrying of knives out on the streets of our communities is a matter of great concern to all right thinking people and there has to be an element of deterrent (in the sentence).”
Source – North Wales Live
