AN unruly drinker was “unceremoniously dumped” and left unconscious outside a village pub, a court heard.

Doormen Neil Boyd, 37, and 23-year-old Anthony MacDonald used “excessive force” ejecting the man from the Shoulder of Mutton, in Easington Village, County Durham, on January 13.

The court was told MacDonald grabbed him round the neck after being asked to assist by a female customer, while Boyd dragged him through the pub and dropped him to the ground outside the premises.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the ejected man suffered a fractured skull when he struck the ground.

“He had previously been ejected from the pub, but returned to retrieve his jacket, by climbing into the pub’s beer garden.

“He accepts having drunk seven or eight pints that day.”

Boyd, of Townsend Road, Thorney Close, Sunderland, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

MacDonald, of Ardrossan Road, Farringdon, also Sunderland, admitted common assault.

Stephen Constantine, for MacDonald, said his involvement was limited to grabbing the man around the neck.

Mr Constantine added that MacDonald is no longer a doorman and now works at the Nissan motor plant on Wearside.

Christopher Morrison, for Boyd, said the "hard-working family man" has suffered through losing both his door supervisor and taxi driving licences.

Recorder Andrew Campbell gave Boyd a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for a year.

MacDonald was fined £400 and ordered to pay £150 costs.

Recorder Campbell told them: “You had ample reason to eject this man from the premises, but not in the manner you did.

“It’s clear both of you, to a varying degree, accept using excessive force in doing so.

“You, Boyd, dragged him along the corridor and unceremoniously dumped him outside.

“It’s a moot point whether you ‘dumped’ or ‘threw’ him, but by then he was offering no violence.”