Man attacked three women at Sunderland's Mountain Daisy pub, then assaulted two police officers

An attacker who lashed out at five people in one night has kept his freedom.

Rhys Ambler started drinking after he finished work at 2pm on April 28 and had been warned about his behaviour in the Mountain Daisy pub in Sunderland later that evening.

Newcastle Crown Court was told when the bar manager eventually asked him to leave, he shouted abuse then grabbed her by the throat and squeezed until she struggled to breathe. He also punched her later on in the confrontation.

Ambler then turned his violence towards a female customer who had stepped in to help and pulled her to the floor then dragged her by her hair, which caused pain.

A second woman, the bar manager's sister, tried to help force Ambler out of the pub but he punched and elbowed her, causing bruising. He also banged her head off the ground, more than once.

The court heard Ambler eventually left the pub and when police went to his home he lunged at one officer and spat in the face of another.

Ambler, 22, of Gartland Road, Sunderland, admitted three charges of assault by beating and two of assault on an emergency worker.

Judge Edward Bindloss said: "Here we have five victims, two are emergency workers, one is the manager of the pub.

"Three of the assaults are at about 7.30 in the evening and two are at around 9pm, so it's across the evening and he is heavily in drink.

"Taken together, this clearly crosses the custody threshold."

Judge Bindloss sentenced Amber to 10 months suspended for 18 months with rehabiltiation requirements and 150 hours unpaid work.

The judge said the jail term could be suspended as Ambler, who works at Nissan and has no previous convictions, can be managed and rehabilitated in the community.

Vic Laffey, defending, said Ambler is "disgusted with himself" and "lost for words" at his own behaviour.

Mr Laffey said Ambler has cut down drinking and is going to be a father so wants to become a "role model".