A VIOLENT drinker has been barred for life from pubs in Dorchester.

The 26-year-old man was given the first life-long ban in the county town after using threatening and abusive behaviour in a string of pubs.

Until now, landlords have been able to ban drinkers from individual premises only.

But the town's new Pubwatch scheme allows landlords and licensees to work together and present a united front.

Chairman and Borough Arms owner Martin West said: "We are not going to tolerate it. This man has made himself a nuisance in several pubs.

"He has gone to throw a punch at one of the bar managers and told another that he was carrying a knife.

"Any threat of violence is bad enough but threats of violence against a landlord is a definite no-no. Why should we put up with that?"

At the most recent of Pubwatch's regular meetings, publicans and bar staff were shown pictures of the man who will no longer be able to set foot in any of the town's pubs.

Mr West hopes the ban will set an example for other troublemakers in and around Dorchester. But he denies a life ban is excessive.

He said: "We don't want him back. He has been given chances in the past. But these incidents include threats of violence to landlords and we are not going to tolerate it."

He added: "The people who've had trouble with him have thanked us for taking action."

Pubwatch was launched in November and now includes all but two of the town's bars and pubs.

Landlords and licensees meet to discuss various issues and are able to keep in touch with each other using two-way radios.

They are able to bar punters for between three months and life, and are taking a particularly strong stance against incidents involving drugs or violence.

Inspector Les Fry said: "This man is known to Dorset Police.

"We very strongly support Dorchester Pubwatch which is working for the benefit of the community as a whole in Dorchester. We will work with them to enforce this ban and any others brought in."

Insp Fry added: "We cannot name this man because this is a civil ban rather than a criminal matter."

And Mr West added: "It is a local ban enforced by Pubwatch rather than the police. The issue has not been through the courts."