I'm the victim, claims pub row boss

A COUPLE accused of attacking the owners of an upmarket pub when they were refused drinks after hours have claimed they were acting in self-defence as the victims of a "lynch mob", a court heard.

- Robert Kellaway

Company director Nathan Sayer and wife Catharine allegedly assaulted landlords Thomas and Laura Faulkner and racially abused staff after their horse-riding club Christmas dinner at the New Inn at Heckfield, Hants.

The couple, whose £800,000 home is a mile from the pub, had left at closing time but returned to collect a scarf Mr Sayers had left behind, and then his wife asked for another drink. When she was refused she allegedly grabbed the landlady by her shirt and beat the landlord about the head.