A CARLISLE thug with a history of shocking violence has been locked up again — for smashing a solid wood bar stool over a fellow pub customer.

Kieron Murray, now aged 28, began making a nuisance of himself inside the Woodrow Wilson bar on Botchergate in the city centre.

At that time, around 10.30pm on May 29 last year, a man and his partner were inside the premises.

Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard Murray began making “kissing noises” towards the couple.

Murray left the pub. But on his return, he began circling the whole premises causing the man to feel uneasy.

“I was watching him at this point as I felt in immediate danger of what might happen,” the man had said in a statement.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson said of Murray: “He stopped walking. He picked up a 3ft bar stool made of solid wood, lifted it above his head and threw it at him with power,” said the prosecutor.

That left the victim injured and caused him difficulties in the aftermath of an attack which was captured on camera. “He was unable to work due to pain he had in the rib area,” said Mrs Jackson.

“He suffered bruises and abrasions. He was struggling to sit and lie down. He struggled to sleep due to the discomfort.”

The man was also fearful of walking past the pub for fear of encountering Murray, who admitted assault causing actual bodily harm when he appeared in court.

Defence solicitor John Halewood-Dodd gave mitigation for Murray, of Esk Road, Carlisle. He referred to a delay in the case coming to court. Since that time, Murray had received a suspended prison sentence at the magistrates’ court following a domestic assault.

He had barged into his partner’s home before hitting her with a see-saw and hanging basket which he hurled in anger.

Earlier past violence had included a shocking city centre attack on a female police dog handler for which he was jailed in 2018.

For the pub assault, magistrates imposed a six-month immediate prison sentence and ordered him to pay the victim £200 compensation when released.

Magistrates revoked the previously imposed suspended sentence order, replacing it with 20 weeks’ custody. This will run concurrently with the six-month term.