Owner escapes jail after wrecking pub with JCB

A FARMER and businessman who repeatedly smashed a JCB into his own historic pub escaped jail yesterday.

Robert Tyrrell, 46, went on the rampage when a barman refused to serve him a drink on New Year’s Day at the North Star pub in Steventon, Oxfordshire.

Tyrrell, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to damaging property, being reckless whether life would be endangered, was sentenced to do 200 hours’ community service and to pay costs and compensation totalling more than £3,000 at Oxford Crown Court.