VIOLENCE erupted in a town centre pub after a man ‘became angry’ with his friend who had taken a selfie with his girlfriend and then slapped him in the face.

Best friends Leroy Hughes, 24, and Bailey Skinner, 23, were in the Anchor Vaults pub in Whitehaven Market Place on September 28.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting at Workington Magistrates’ Court, said Skinner was taking photos with Hughes’ girlfriend and was ‘trying to wind him up’.

Skinner had then slapped Hughes to the face and Hughes became angry and retaliated. He lunged at his friend.

The landlady of the pub became involved. She was holding Hughes back and telling him to calm down. Hughes struck her, making contact with her head.

In a basis of plea, Hughes admitted he had struggled with the landlady and accepted that by resisting her and throwing himself around, he had assaulted her.

He pleaded guilty ‘on a reckless basis’ to assault by beating  and using threatening, abusive, insulting words of behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence.

Skinner pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive, insulting words of behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence.

John Cooper, for Hughes, said: “He’s on the bench, trying to get up. He’s adamant there’s no connection with the head.

“He’s seen the CCTV. He’s admitted it’s an assault.”

A probation officer said Hughes ‘had no idea’ that the landlady had intervened until he saw the CCTV footage. He said his actions on the night were ‘totally out of character’ and he had caused upset to several people.

Hughes said he and Skinner are ‘best friends’. He accepted it was an ‘isolated incident’ and an error of judgement.

Mike Woolaghan, for Skinner, said: “There’s a distinct difference in levels of culpability here.

“It’s evident from the footage he was taking a selfie of himself with the girlfriend.

“It looks as if the phone got snatched out of his hand at that point. He [Skinner] taps him in the face.

“He was frustrated with his friend’s actions towards him. Slapping him in the face was an unlawful action. The other guy [Hughes] gets up and begins attacking him. There’s no retaliation.

“It does escalate into violence although none of the violence is down to him.”

A probation officer said Skinner was upset at what he did and had ‘misread’ the situation. Hughes is a close friend and a Godfather to his child.

He had apologised to his friend and although ‘things remain awkward between them’, they are still friends, the court was told.

Hughes, of East Road, Egremont, was given a community order with 90 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Skinner, of Derwentwater Road, Whitehaven, was fined £433 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £173 victim surcharge.