By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 10:14, Saturday, 05 February 2011

A Sellafield team leader and Workington Zebras player has been ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work after punching a police officer.

Howarth

PC Ryan McCarthy received a cut mouth after being punched in the face twice by John Jason Howarth, 41, of Queens Avenue, Seaton. PC McCarthy tried to break up a fight involving Howarth and another man outside Yankees pub, on Washington Street, on January 22.

Dad-of-two Howarth pleaded guilty to assault and threatening behaviour at Keswick and West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court. He was ordered to pay £150 compensation to PC McCarthy and £85 costs.

Judge Gerald Chalk said: “It is always sad when a man of good character loses his good reputation.

“You really put yourself at risk of going to prison. You should feel lucky because I have lowered your community work significantly because you pleaded guilty.”

Howarth had been in Salford on the day of the attack, watching Workington Zebras Rugby Union side play De La Salle in the North Lancashire and Cumbria league.

He had been drinking since 5pm and continued to drink a mixture of beer and red wine when he returned to Workington.

Simon Ward, defending, said: “My client is embarrassed and ashamed and has not left his house since the incident.

“He had too much to drink and had eaten very little. He was extremely drunk and remembers very little about the incident.”

Mr Ward said that Howarth, who is on medication for depression, was in the middle of a nine-month divorce and described relations between the defendant and his wife as acrimonious.

He said: “My client is a good man who is trying to do the right thing and run two houses. He’s £15,000 in debt and the stress of this cannot have helped.”

First published at 09:12, Saturday, 05 February 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk