Disgraced Sussex councillor attacked his ex-girlfriend and said he would burn down pub

A disgraced Bognor councillor who resigned from the Labour Party over anti-Semitic comments has been sentenced for assaulting his ex-girlfriend and stealing £2,700.
Damien Enticott, pictured here at a political event about gardening, has been spared jailDamien Enticott, pictured here at a political event about gardening, has been spared jail
Damien Enticott, pictured here at a political event about gardening, has been spared jail

Damien Enticott, 34, turned up ‘angry and off his face’ at the William Hardwicke and threw a bottle of brandy across the bar in September last year.

The pub was run by his ex-partner at the time of the offences.

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The elected councillor and convicted robber then proceeded upstairs and helped himself to £2,700 in cash from the till, saying ‘you’re not going to stop me are you?’

The offences took place at The William Hardwicke pubThe offences took place at The William Hardwicke pub
The offences took place at The William Hardwicke pub

Enticott, who resigned from the Labour party over alleged anti-Semitic comments, appeared in court by videolink this morning for sentencing.

Enticott, of St Peter’s Crescent in Selsey, had pleaded guilty to assault by beating, theft and burglary.

Prosecutor Richard Davies told the court that Enticott and the manager of the High Street pub had been in a relationship for about two years but had just broken up at the time of the offences.

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The court heard that Enticott turned up at the pub with another man and took a bottle of brandy from behind the bar.

Mr Davies said: “The complainant was alerted to this and the defendant responded by pushing her with his right hand with force to the chest area. This caused her to be knocked back to the floor.

“He then threw the bottle with force into the bar area.”

While staff members were helping the bar manager to her feet, Enticott made his way upstairs and into the cashiers office.

He said to staff: “I am taking it all. You aren’t going to stop me are you?”

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The prosecutor continued: “He then took fistfuls of cash from the till. He was described as angry and off his face.

“He said ‘I am going to burn the pub down’.”

Enticott pleaded guilty to stealing £2,700 from the pub, the court heard.

The following day, Enticott turned up at the pub and tried to break into the private flat where his ex-partner lived.

Enticott, elected to Bognor Regis Town Council in February last year to serve Hatherleigh ward, has a string of previous convictions including causing grievous bodily harm and robbery, the court heard.

Defence barrister Mr Halsey said the case was ‘unusual’.

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He continued: “I am not trying to paint him as an angel, he is by no means an angel.”

But he added that Enticott had ‘significantly’ reduced his offending in recent years and should be given an opportunity to address the issues in his life.

Judge Roger Hetherington said: “You were abusive to staff and when the victim came down to try and get you to leave you pushed her to the floor.

“And then you went up to the office and you helped yourself to fistfuls of bank notes from the cashier’s office.”

He noted that Enticott had already served significant time on remand, sentencing him instead to a two-year community order.