A LANDLORD has spoken of his relief after two men who attacked him at his pub were jailed.

James Scott was hit on the head with a glass bottle, blocked an attempt to strike him with a truncheon and then locked himself in the pub to get away from his attackers.

Dorchester Crown Court heard how Daniel Hamilton-Mills, aged 22, of Court Barton, Portland, and Kassim Roberts, aged 21, of Woolcombe Road, Portland, set upon Mr Scott at the island's New Star Inn.

Mr Scott had decided to stop people entering his pub following a separate incident which occurred earlier that evening, the court heard.

He stood at the door with a customer while those inside the bar already were allowed to remain.

He became aware of Hamilton-Mills at around 12.20am, standing outside clutching a bottle of Jack Daniels. Roberts was also nearby.

After a group were denied entry, Hamilton-Mills moved towards Mr Scott.

The court heard how Mr Scott told him he wasn’t coming into the pub. After being distracted by a customer, the landlord was punched on the chin by Hamilton-Mills before being struck on the head with a bottle.

The court was told Roberts then attempted to hit Mr Scott using a truncheon, which the landlord blocked using his arm. Mr Scott then locked himself in.

Hamilton-Mills was arrested a few weeks later and a search at his home uncovered 40 wraps of cannabis, a controlled drug of Class B.

Both Hamilton-Mills and Roberts admitted to the charges and Hamilton-Mills admitted to possessing cannabis.

The court was told Roberts had received a suspended sentence order in May for a separate offence.

Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said he would be failing in his duty if he didn’t impose a custodial sentence.

Both men received a nine month custodial sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Hamilton-Mills also received a one month custodial sentence for possessing cannabis, to run concurrently. Roberts also received a six-month custodial sentence for possessing an offensive weapon, to run concurrently. His suspended sentence has not been revoked and will continue.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Scott said: "It’s unfortunate that these idiots decided to behave as they did and it’s unfortunate that they have to spend nine months in prison over such a stupid incident but they brought it on themselves. What they did frightened my customers, frightened my wife, cost me money and what deeply upsets me is that it tarnished the name of the pub.

“We work very hard to promote The New Star Inn as a respectable pub and people like this just give us a bad name.

“These men have never been my customers. They have never set foot in the pub. They are not my kind of people.”