Ref. 6542-11The landlord of the Red Lion, Cricklade, Mark Whittam, pleaded guilty to two charges of beating his wife, Chippenham Magistrates court heard.

Rhys Davies, prosecuting, told the court how Whittam, punched his wife, Tracy Whittam, 37, in the stomach, threw water over her and threatened her with an axe.

Mr Davies said police officers were directed to the pub at 2.15am last Sunday after Mrs Whittam reported the incident. She told police officers her 54-year-old husband had assaulted her and was now threatening to break in to the bedroom with an axe.

Mr Davies told magistrates how Whittam had punched his wife in the stomach and kicked her in the shins, in the earlier part of the evening, then later on, threw her around the bedroom, before trying to push a towel down her throat and pouring water over it.

"Police officers got into an upstairs window using a ladder and Mrs Whittam was found in a junk room, hiding under a blanket."

The police said in a statement Mrs Whittam was in a distressed state when they found her.

She told police Whittam became abusive towards her during the day. She had tried to stay professional in front of the customers. She was changing a barrel and in front of two customers he kicked her in the stomach causing her to fall to her knees.

Mrs Whittam suffered a swollen mouth and a cut lip following the later beating.

When Whittam was interviewed at the police station he claimed his wife had a drinking problem and this combined with stress caused the incident, Mr Davies told the court. Whittam claimed he hit her with a pillow a few times and threw water over her to calm her down.

Roger Jones, defending said: "Whittam tells me a very sorry tale of drink that he has found around the place and the police said when they called round Mrs Whittam was the worst for drink, not Mr Whittam.

"What he wants back is the wife he married, before she started taking too much alcohol."

The case has been adjourned for reports until September 17. Whittam was granted unconditional bail.

Whittam said after the hearing: "We just want to put all this behind us and get on with our lives and our business."