Bloody wrestling match sees club convicted of three licensing offences

The New Seaham Conservative Club has been convicted of three offences brought by us in relation to the 'Pits of Punishment' event which featured a so-called 'death match.'

The club pleaded guilty to all charges, namely that it held the event despite not being licensed for such activity; that it allowed children to be present after 10.00pm without licensing authorisation; and that it sold alcohol to non-members without having sought a premises licence or temporary event notice.

The prosecution followed a complaint to us about the event, which featured one wrestler hitting another with a fluorescent light tube.

Ian Harrison, our business compliance manager, said: "Licensing is in place for a number of reasons including public safety and the protection of children from harm. It is therefore really important that, as most County Durham establishments do, venues make sure they have a licence, adhere to its conditions and ensure it covers any activities they want to organise.

"In this case, the club hosted live wrestling despite its licence not allowing it to do so and without a temporary event notice having been applied for to legitimise the activity. It also allowed children to be present after 10.00pm and sold alcohol to non-members, both without the appropriate authorisation.

"What followed was an event at which children were exposed to violence, and wrestlers covered in blood.

"We have taken this matter extremely seriously as this prosecution proves and we hope the three convictions the club now finds itself with act as a reminder to venues of the importance of complying with licensing legislation."

Prosecution followed complaint

A representative of the club, on Station Road in Seaham, appeared before Peterlee Magistrates Court in relation to the event which took place on 29 April last year.

The court was told we received a complaint days after the event, with photos and video footage provided.

One of the images showed a male wrestler covered in blood and holding a fluorescent light tube. A second image showed the same man, near to the wrestling ring, with a child visible in the foreground.

One of the videos showed two wrestlers in front of the ring. One was kneeling down and the second could be seen hitting him on the back with a fluorescent light tube. Again, children are in view and alcohol can be seen.

Further images showed the main event which was, in wrestling terms, a 'death match.'

The complainant also provided a poster from CCW Colliery Championship Wrestling promoting the Pits of Punishment event.

In response to the complaint, we carried out checks which showed the club was not authorised to stage wrestling events, or to have children in the venue after 10pm.

Furthermore the club had not applied for authorisation in the form of a temporary event notice.

CCTV requested

Our officers subsequently requested CCTV from the premises which on inspection showed children present in the venue until nearly 11.00pm.

In interview, a club official said the children who were still present after the event finished at 10.07pm were members of the organisers' families. She told our officers that non-members at the event had been signed in by members, although no signing in book was provided to confirm this.

Another club official was also interviewed and confirmed that non-members are required to be signed in by a member, but was unable to say if this had happened at the wrestling event as he was out of the country.

In court a further club official said the wrestling company had told the committee that it had everything in place to enable it to stage the event.

He nevertheless admitted the committee should have done more checks and said this was its first mistake in over 20 years.

The committee was said to be very sorry and to have stated that it wouldn't happen again.

Magistrates imposed a fine of £300 and ordered the club to pay £550 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge.