The Telegraph, October 7th, 1980
Transcribed (and additional info) by Karsten Roekens
© 1980 Telegraph
UNK STAR JOHNNY GETS THREE MONTHS
FOR PUB PUNCH-UP
by PATRICK CLANCY
Punk star Johnny Rotten was sentenced to three months in jail yesterday after a row at a Dublin pub in which the landlord was called an "Irish pig".
But the 23-year-old former Sex Pistols singer was freed on £750 bail while he waits for an appeal to be heard.
Rotten spent the weekend in prison after he was arrested over the bust-up in which he was said to have spat over customers.
The landlord, Eamonn Brady, told Dublin District Court he had refused to serve Rotten, who was with another man, because he looked "very seedy".
Door
He added that the two men started abusing him and his assistant manager. One appeared to try to make himself sick.
As they were leaving the pub, the Horse and Tram [1], they pushed a swing door back a few times.
Mr Brady added: "I went out and pushed them on to the road. One of them caught my tie. There was a bit of a scuffle."
Assistant manager, Eamonn Leddy, said one of the two men called Mr Brady an "Irish pig". They spat over two customers and the windows. It was not made clear whether Rotten or the other man, who was not charged, had made the remark.
Mr Leddy claimed Rotten kicked him and Mr Brady.
Spiky-haired Rotten – real name John Lydon – of Gunter Road, Fulham, London [2], pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault.
Smashed
He said the man with him was a fan who had asked him to go for a drink. They were told to "get out" of the pub.
Rotten added: "I asked why – was I black or something? On the way out I got smashed in the back of the head. I looked round and got a smash in the face. I didn't get a chance to strike anybody."
The court was packed with punk rockers. Some had multi-coloured hair.
Rotten's London solicitor, Tim Cruttenden [3], gave evidence for the star. "He's a very reasonable person and is normally shy and introverted," Mr Cruttenden said.
Notes:
[1] since 2004 called Garden of Eden (3 Eden Quay, Dublin D1)
[2] actually 45 Gunter Grove, Kensington, London
[3] actually Arthur Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden
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