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COMMUNITY ORDER: Dorian Diment

AN ENVIRONMENTAL health officer was grabbed around the throat when he followed up a complaint about a pub's hygiene, magistrates heard.

Dorian Roy Diment, 49, of Southwell, Portland, admitted common assault against Timothy James Cousins on September 14 last year.

Prosecutor Tim O'Sullivan said Mr Cousins - a food health and safety inspector for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council - attended the Mermaid Inn in Wakeham, Portland, following up a hygiene complaint.

Introductions were made between Diment - who was described as the leaseholder of the pub - and Mr Cousins, and they went into the kitchen to discuss the matter in private.

During the course of discussion, Diment became agitated and without warning pushed and swore at the council inspector, causing him to stagger backwards. The court heard Diment then lunged at Mr Cousins and grabbed him around the throat and pushed him back several feet against a fridge freezer.

Mr Cousins freed himself by a combination of twisting his body free and Diment letting go.

Mr O'Sullivan said Diment then pushed Mr Cousins in the back on his way out of the kitchen and swore at him again.

Police were called and Diment arrested. During an interview Diment admitted placing his hands on Mr Cousins, pushing him backwards and swearing at him but said he only used minimum force and had a right to. Diment denied placing his hands on the environmental health officer's neck.

Michael McGoldrick, in mitigation, said Diment had invested heavily in the pub in November last year, but was not the licensee - his girlfriend was currently in the process of becoming the named licensee.

He said Diment was involved in helping on a daily basis in the run-up to the change of ownership and added: "He said delays in becoming the leaseholder were stressful."

The court heard Diment had dealt with the local authority and licensing department on other occasions without any problem and this should be seen as a one-off rather than a campaign of non-co-operation.

Mr McGoldrick said Diment was also involved in the running of a farm on Portland which was making a loss, and working hard seven days a week.

Magistrates imposed a community ordered for one year with an unpaid work requirement of 150 hours.

Diment was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to Mr Cousins and court costs of £150.

9:20am Wednesday 6th February 2008

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