24-year-old in pub punch-up after witnessing man strike his girlfriend

A 24-year-old became involved in a pub punch-up after witnessing a man strike his girlfriend.Kean Arnold pleaded guilty to threatening and abusive behaviour when he appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.He had been drinking inside The Wildfowler pub in Gaywood on June 16 when he and his girlfriend witnessed a fight taking place outside the building.

Between ten and 15 people were involved, and upon approaching the incident one man punched Arnold.He did not immediately retaliate, but his girlfriend shouted at the man – before being struck herself.Arnold then became involved, and was witnessed by two off-duty police officers throwing punches of his own. They called for back-up, and he was arrested. Nobody involved in the altercation pressed assault charges, and so Arnold was instead charged with the public order offence.In a subsequent police interview, he had told officers he drank three pints of beer while watching a football match. Mitigating, solicitor Alison Muir told the court that Arnold, of Woolstencroft Avenue in North Lynn, was a “young man who is of previous good character”.She said that the court process has been a “very humiliating experience” for the defendant and his family.“He is a young man who wasn’t the main person involved, but who has certainly learned his lesson,” Ms Muir added. Magistrates handed Arnold a £40 fine, while he will also pay £85 in court costs and a £16 victim surcharge.The chair of the bench said: “You have had a learning curve – don’t get involved in things that have nothing to do with you.“Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here today.”