A Newcastle magistrate struck off for allegedly threatening to have a pub landlord's licence revoked has won the first round of a High Court bid to clear his name.

Gordon Gill launched the legal challenge after being struck off last year.

The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee took the unusual decision after hearing claims he told a pub landlord: "Do you know I'm a magistrate and I could have a word in someone's ear and get your licence revoked."

Mr Gill, of The Spinney, Killingworth Village, claims the decision was "unlawful" because all four magistrates who sat in judgement were from the Newcastle bench.

The Lord Chancellor's department says the panel should normally include one magistrate from a different area.

Mr Justice Kay ruled Mr Gill had an "arguable case" and granted him permission to seek judicial review of the Lord Chancellor's decision to dismiss him.

No date was set for the full hearing.