Ex-pop star walks free after pub gun threat

FORMER British pop star Adam Ant walked free from court yesterday after a judge ruled that he had used a gun to threaten pub customers who laughed at his cowboy attire because he was suffering mental problems.

The judge at London’s Old Bailey decided that the 1980s pop star, who had pleaded guilty to affray in August, should not be treated as a criminal over the incident because he was suffering from an episode of mental illness at the time.

Ant, who appeared under his real name Stuart Goddard, had marched into the Prince of Wales pub in north London last January dressed in a cowboy hat and combat jacket.

Pub regulars began laughing at him and humming the theme tune to the spaghetti western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Irate, he returned some hours later with a gun, which turned out to be a starting pistol. He then threw a car alternator through the pub window, hitting Greek musician Plato Contostavlos.

Ant was chased by pub customers but scared them off by pulling the starting pistol from his pocket.

The court was told that the background to the case involved a woman called Kerry Ryan whom Ant had befriended. Her husband had become jealous about their relationship and had allegedly begun harassing Ant, who was also being bothered by a deranged woman fan at the time.

These harassment episodes were said to have aggravated Ant’s fragile mental state and he had decided to confront the husband at the pub.

The court was told that three psychiatrists had examined Ant after the incident and they described him as being in a “hyper-manic state”.

“If I looked at only the facts of what you did a prison sentence would be justified,” Judge Jeremy Roberts told the portly, balding, grey-haired and bespectacled singer who looked little like the heartthrob who sold more than 15 million records including hits like Prince Charming and Stand and Deliver.

“But psychiatrists have agreed that at the time you were suffering from a temporary episode of mental illness, which impaired your responsibility for what you did. Happily you are now recovered.”

He ordered Ant to serve a 12-month community rehabilitation order and pay stg£500 compensation to Mr Contostavlos.