Landlord in Cannock 'turned on police' in sting
A pub landlord whose staff were caught selling alcohol to underage drinkers in a sting operation is in danger of losing his licence after he and customers were said to have turned on police.
Other officers were called to The White Lion in Cannock as back-up after licensee Thomas Dunning and punters became 'angry', it is alleged.
Police have said Mr Dunning was verbally aggressive and that drinkers in the pub were hostile.
Uniformed and plain clothes officers were called to calm down the situation.
Earlier two 15-year-old girls were sent into the pub on Stafford Road as part of a compliance testing operation.
The test, on November 29, was set up by Staffordshire Police in a crackdown on underage drinking.
Five out of nine premises visited that night have been called before district council licensing bosses.
The police have now requested serious consideration be given to removing Mr Dunning as the landlord and have asked for further conditions to be added to the licence.
A report to go before a meeting of the licensing sub-committee which will decide on any resistrictions states that a bar assistant served the girls bottles of vodka-based blue VK without asking for ID or proof of their age, and police moved in to speak to the landlord.
A report by Sergeant Tracey Carsley to next week's sub-committee meeting said Mr Dunning became angry and felt the police were targeting the pub. She said: "Other customers also became hostile and the officers inside felt the situation was escalating so had no alternative but to request support."
Mr Dunning raised his voice and pointed at one police officer who had to take several steps back 'to keep a safe distance' between them because he thought he was going to be assaulted, she said.
The report also states that in January the landlord rang the licensing department and complained that the police had 'conned' him into the underage sale by dressing up the 15-year-olds to look 20 years of age.
The report details other incidents last year, two including complaints of noise after 2am.
Mr Dunning today declined to comment.
