Wealthy couple who attacked staff at a country pub after a Christmas party have been spared jail - but are blasted by judge for laughing during trial
A wealthy couple who attacked the owners of an upmarket country pub after a horse riding club Christmas dinner were scolded by a judge for laughing and seeming pleased with themselves in court as they were handed their sentences.
A wealthy couple who attacked the owners of an upmarket country pub after a horse riding club Christmas dinner were scolded by a judge for laughing and seeming pleased with themselves in court as they were handed their sentences.
Company director Nathan Sayer, 50, and his wife Catharine, 54, avoided jail after they assaulted and racially abused a staff member they mistakenly believed was a Muslim after being told they could not have another drink.
In January, both were found guilty of assault and religiously aggravated harassment.
But during sentencing this week, District Judge Stephen Apted found himself pausing proceedings and telling the couple off for laughing as a summary of their offending was read out in court.
He said he could not understand why the couple found their court appearance amusing and were seen laughing and shaking their heads.
You fail to understand and appreciate how appalling and disgraceful your behaviour was, he told them, The Telegraph reported.
Basingstoke Magistrates Court heard the incident took place on December 9, 2023 when the Sayers visited The New Inn in Hook, Hampshire with 25 others who were all part of a horse riding club at the Wedgewood livery yard.
The Sayers had been seen throwing food and festive crackers during the gathering, prosecutors told magistrates.
Company director Nathan Sayer, 50, and his wife, Catharine, 54, were scolded by a judge for laughing and seeming pleased with themselves in court as they were handed their sentences
Catharine Sayer avoided jail after they assaulted and racially abused a staff member they mistakenly believed was a Muslim after being told they could not have another drink
The incident took place on December 9, 2023, at The New Inn at Heckfield in Hook, Hampshire
They then became angry and launched assaults on landlords Thomas and Laura Faulkner at closing time after being told they couldnt get the beers in and were asked to leave.
Mrs Sayer, 53, was accused of injuring landlord Laura Faulkner by grabbing her shirt around the neck, swearing at her and beating her husband, Thomas, around the head as the couple were escorted by staff out of the pub.
During the fracas Mr Sayer, 49, who runs a sales consultancy company, allegedly racially abused an employee he mistakenly thought was Muslim - but who just had a deep tan from a recent holiday to Australia - by calling him Mustafa and Sheikh Mohammed.
The couple - who live in a house worth more than £800,000 just a mile from the pub - faced charges of racially or religiously aggravated harassment and assault, which they denied, claiming self defence.
But after being found guilty, they both received a 12-month community order.
Mr Sayer was handed a fine of £1,204, while Mrs Sayer was fined £1,554. The couple must also complete 15 sessions of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work.
Having heard that she was petrified to go to prison, Mrs Sayer was seen smiling and laughing after being sentenced.
A previous hearing had been told that at closing time the Sayers left the pub, but then came back inside the venue because hed forgotten his scarf.
The couple are said to have become angry and launched assaults on landlords Thomas (picturd) and Laura Faulkner at closing time after being told they couldnt get the beers in and were asked to leave
Mrs Sayer was accused of injuring Mrs Faulkner (pictured) by grabbing her shirt around the neck and swearing at her
Mrs Faulkner told the court that Mrs Sayer went to the bar and demanded another drink with her husband saying: Get the beers in.
When they were refused, an altercation broke out, and Mrs Faulkner, along with three employees of The New Inn - two female and one male - then ushered the couple out of the venue.
In the pub foyer, as tensions rose and the couple became really angry according to Mr Faulkner, he started recording a video on his phone which was played to the court.
The family-run rural inn is a Grade II listed building, and was once visited by world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977.
At their sentencing, District Judge Apted noted that CCTV footage of the incident showed how events had unfolded and that the couple had not shown remorse or accepted responsibility for their actions.
Having been rejected from the pub, you were seen on the CCTV footage kissing and congratulating each other, he added.
Business owner Mr Sayer had told the judge during proceedings that they were the victims.
He accused the landlord of trying to act like the Instagram police and forcing a modern narrative on the incident.
The family-run rural inn is a Grade II listed building, and was once visited by world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977
Mr Sayer also claimed his wife had been pushed around like a bowling ball during the incident and said the staff were the aggressors, not them.
The company director - who lives with his wife in a house worth more than £800,000 just a mile from the pub - told the court: They have taken some modern narrative and tried to force it. It was just random names, I didnt know the origins of Mustafa.
The reason we did not call the police is that we did not want playground nonsense, they [the landlords] tried to drag it into some sexual or race position.
Mr Sayer added that the couple had been followed out of the pub by a lynch mob and that the staff were actively seeking conflict with them.
He said: These are staff that claim to be scared and anxious, they chose to leave the pub to chase us into the foyer.
These are people that are actively seeking conflict, I personally was assaulted three times.
If I was from any business with responsibility for my staff I would not have them follow everyone out as a lynch mob.
My first instinct would be to protect my staff not get my phone out to be an Instagram policeman.
Asked by Prosecutor Ryan Seneviratne if he had acted reasonably during the melee Mr Sayer said he had acted like a man following the assault he alleges his wife suffered.
I could just hear something was going on and my wife is like a bowling ball between skittles, he said.
Alphonsus Doran, Mrs Sayer’s defence lawyer, said the couple had been effectively ostracised since the incident.
Mrs Sayer has lost her job, while Mr Sayer reported a massive impact on his business.