‘My mistake’ - South Tyneside councillor expresses remorse over Jarrow pub altercation
A councillor has spoken of his “shame” after being convicted of injuring a Jarrow barman.
A South Tyneside councillor has expressed his regret following an altercation in a Jarrow pub that resulted in a barman being injured.
Cllr Alex Barr, of the Primrose ward, admitted to common assault at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 21.
The 57-year-old appeared in court for throwing a bottle in the Lord Nelson pub, on August 9, which caused a head injury to a staff member.
The councillor, who is from Jarrow, was also attacked during the incident by other customers and has since required extensive medical treatment.
‘I lost control and it’s my mistake’
In the days after the incident, Cllr Barr voluntarily resigned from South Tyneside’s Reform UK group and has now expressed remorse for his actions following the conclusion of legal proceedings against him.
He said: “I had too much to drink, I lost control and it’s my mistake - I wanted to reach to out to the guy in the bar straight away but wasn’t able to due to the legal process.
“What I did was wrong and he shouldn’t have got injured, I threw the bottle at the bar and unfortunately it hit him.
“Some people think I’ve gone and smashed a bottle over his head, which isn’t true - I know that I shouldn’t have done what I did.
“The whole thing was caught on CCTV so when I was shown the video in the police interview, I was embarrassed and know that I’ve brought shame to myself and family.
“I’m not playing the victim here but I was taken to hospital in an ambulance and have since had no less than 15 appointments, as well as surgery to fit a metal plate in my eye socket.
“I’ve been told I need further surgery and could have permanent disfigurement.
“My family has been harassed and I’ve just had to take it on the chin.
“At the end of the day, I made a mistake and the whole thing has been a very unfortunate affair.”
Embracing political life
Cllr Barr also highlighted that he stepped back from Reform to ensure that he could focus on helping his constituents and his given an insight into the future of his political life.
He added: “I didn’t expect to be elected but I was over the moon and I’ve embraced it wholeheartedly.
“I’ve been accused of working away and not being there for my constituents so I want to clarify that I’ve not worked away for 15 months.
“I’ve had other parties having a go at me and the pressure has been incessant, yet they are the same parties who accused the wider media of leading to the death of Jason Arday - there has been a lot of hypocrisy.
“It was my choice to leave Reform - I needed to leave the committees and other duties so I could focus on the council’s enquiry system.
“I’ve continued to do my bit with the council and support residents via the online system throughout of all of this.
“I haven’t stepped away from my constituents but I am going to dust myself down and make a decision on my future.
“I’m 50/50 and there are still a few little challenges to get through but at the moment, I remain as an independent councillor.”