FOUR men from Surrey sparked a brawl in a Llandovery pub “like a scene from a wild west film” after antagonising and insulting locals.

Bradley Morgan, Joseph Scholz-Conway, John Slade and Jordan Pollitt arrived in Llandovery in the early evening of November 24, 2022.

They checked in at the Castle Hotel before making their way to the Whitehall Inn at around 9pm, Swansea Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Hannah George described their conduct at the Whitehall Inn as “unruly, boisterous and aggressive”, adding that they “showed no care for the environment they were in”.

One of the group took another customer’s hat and was throwing it around, while Slade asked a woman drinking alone at the bar to join them, and then carried her on her stool over to the group when she refused, before then sitting her on his lap.

  • For the latest crime and court news for West Wales, you can join our Facebook group here.

Things came to a head when a glass smashed on the floor, and one of the other customers confronted the group – pointing out the glass was a hazard for dogs in the pub.

Slade replied: “You’re a f****** dog. Don’t you dare talk to us like that”.

Morgan was shown on CCTV footage leaning over another patron and repeatedly pointing in his face, and Ms George described what happened next as “befitting violence in a scene of a Wild West film”.

Morgan punched the man he had been abusing, Scholz-Conway punched him again and pushed him in to the group , and Slade and Scholz-Conway then hit him again.

The landlady and her son – who also worked at the pub – tried to put a stop the violence, with the son escorting Morgan towards the door.

However, Morgan again verbally abused the woman who had confronted them, spat in her face, and threatened to kill her.

The landlady described “all hell was let loose” as Morgan was being escorted out, and her son was knocked to the floor.

Morgan grabbed a chair and attacked him with it, while Scholz-Conway smashed him over the head with the glass he was holding before appearing to stamp on him and punch him.

Slade was described as being “in the middle of the melee” and also grabbed and punched a member of staff.

Pollitt – who had missed the outbreak of the fight as he was smoking outside – punched staff members before going over to one of the locals – who was recovering from the initial attack – and striking him several times over the head.

The police were called and Morgan, Slade and Scholz-Conway were identified from the CCTV footage. They were arrested at the Castle Hotel.

When officers returned to the Castle Hotel Pollitt was smoking in the car park and admitted he had a Stanley knife on him.

He was “aggressive and belittling to officers”, and was arrested.

He said he was a ground worker and had left the knife – which he used for work – in his coat pocket.

Officers identified Pollitt as being involved in the brawl after he took his coat off at Brecon police station and his clothes matched the ones he was seen wearing on the pub’s CCTV footage.

Pollitt, 28, of Diamedes Avenue in Stanwell, denied charges of affray and possession of a knife, but was found guilty at a trial in October.

Hywel Davies, representing him, said that he was not involved in the outbreak of the incident, and that he had forgotten about the knife in his jacket, adding that he volunteered that he had it when approached by officers.

Mr Davies said the defendant now had a “determination to remove alcohol from his life”.

Morgan, 31, Ravensbourne Avenue in Stanwell, initially pleaded guilty on the basis that he hadn’t used the chair as a weapon, but later fully admitted affray.

“He’s ashamed of what took place that night,” Kevin Seal said in mitigation.

“Perhaps his best indicator of remorse is his guilty plea.”

He described Morgan as a “family man” and said there had been “substantial delay” in the case coming to sentence.

Georgia Donohue said that Scholz-Conway, 31, of Weymede in Byfleet, now admitted using his glass as a weapon.

He had 10 previous convictions for 13 offences, but Ms Donohue said the last of these had been in 2016 and he had not re-offended since this incident.

She said that he expressed his “genuine remorse” and was “deeply ashamed of his actions”.

Slade, 37, of Clockhouse Lane in Ashford, entered an unqualified guilty plea at the plea and trial preparation hearing.

Hashim Salmman, in mitigation, said there would be a “significant harmful impact” on Slade’s family and eight employees if he was jailed.

“He was not the instigator,” Mr Salmman said. “He was not the primary mover.”

Recorder Simon Clarke said the CCTV footage of the incident was “as shameful as it is frightening”.

He jailed Scholz-Conway for 10 months and Morgan for nine months.

Slade received a six-month sentence, suspended for two years. He must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement, and was made the subject of a four-month curfew between 7pm and 7am.

Pollitt was sentenced to nine months for the affray and four months, running concurrently, for possession of a knife.

These were suspended for two years, and he must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement.