A MAN has been banned from every pub in Middlewich and warned he could be arrested if he sets foot in any licensed premises, after magistrates imposed a strict exclusion order.

Daniel Bratt, 23, of Cross Lane, Middlewich, was handed the year-long ban after being convicted of criminal damage at the Kings Arms public house.

The court order was made by South Cheshire magistrates after they heard Bratt was already subject to an informal ban through Middlewich's Pubwatch scheme.

While serving the ban, Bratt caused £513 worth of damage in the Kings Arms in Queen Street on Sunday, October 3. He smashed beer glasses and damaged a projection screen.

All the pubs in Middlewich belong to Pubwatch. If a customer misbehaves in one pub, they can be barred from all the bars and restaurants on the list.

Bratt had been barred for an incident outside a Wheelock Street pub earlier in the year and was serving a three-month ban when he entered the Kings Arms.

Now he has been hit with the tough court order restricting his access to more than 20 pubs until October 2005.

Sgt Gareth Woods, of Middlewich police's Community Action Team, said: 'This exclusion order from the court bans the defendant Daniel Bratt from entering any licensed premises within the Middlewich Pubwatch scheme.

'This sends out the most appropriate message to would-be troublemakers in the town and is a further illustration of how effective the Pubwatch scheme is.'

The Pubwatch chairman, a Middlewich licensee who asked not to be named, said: 'This is the second incident with Mr Bratt, after an original incident outside a public house on Wheelock Street when the police were called.

'He ignored the original ban notice and got someone else to buy the drinks.

'When the manager realised he was there, he asked him to leave and he caused trouble.

'It's good the courts are backing up Pubwatch.'

Dave Coathup, a community safety officer for Congleton and Vale Royal specialising in exclusion orders, said: 'There was an offence on October 3 of criminal damage in the King's Arms in Middlewich when he was already subject to a Pubwatch ban.

'He went in and smashed beer glasses over the bar and also caused damage to a projection screen. He was arrested and appeared in court.

'If he goes in a public house he would be in breach of his order and the police have power of arrest.'

He added: 'I would like to get more of these. They're very useful.'