Former wrestler Zak Zodiac found guilty of threatening Wetherspoons staff

Zak Bevis Picture: Nick Butcher Archant © 2017

A former wrestler who was refused entry to a Norwich pub after jumping into a river has been found guilty of using threatening behaviour towards staff who had refused to let him back in.

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The Queen of Iceni pub. Photo: Steve Adams The Queen of Iceni pub. Photo: Steve Adams

Zak Bevis, 27, and William Stonehouse, 63, had been drinking with a group of friends at the Queen of Iceni pub on Norwich’s Riverside complex.

Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told Bevis had jumped into the river but was then stopped from re-entering the pub.

It was alleged that Bevis had made various threats to staff who were preventing him from getting back into the pub, including telling one staff member “I will do you” and another that he would “snap your neck”.

Bevis, who the court heard had competed as a wrestler under the name Zak Zodiac, had denied three counts of using threatening behaviour following the incident on August 2 this year.

City magistrates found Bevis not guilty of making threats to snap the neck or kill one of the staff members, but he was convicted of two counts of threatening behaviour during the incident.

The court was told Stonehouse “tried to prevent” his friend from being arrested by grabbing hold of an officer before being taken to the ground.

Stonehouse was found not guilty of one count of using threatening behaviour on the day but was convicted of two counts of assaulting police officers who the prosecution had said he bit and poked in the eye.

He had already admitted obstructing/resisting a constable in the execution of their duty.

Bevis, of Gould Road, Eaton, was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge.

He was also ordered to pay £60 compensation each to the two staff members he was convicted of being threatening towards.

Stonehouse, of Hungate Street, Aylsham, was ordered to do 70 hours’ unpaid work over the next 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to each of the police officers he assaulted, £200 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Jacqui Appleton, who represented both defendants, said Bevis had been of “hitherto good character” and had spent a “considerable amount of time in a police cell” following his arrest.

In terms of Stonehouse, she said there had been a “lack of premeditation” to the offences which happened “extremely quickly”.