Grandad, 37, who smashed up pub with hammer in rampage claims drink was spiked (2025)

Kyle Williams, 37, was boozing on a night out in Wirral when he got angry after he thought someone had nicked his keys, returning to a pub later with a hammer to settle the score

A grandad has admitted to a court that he believes his "disgraceful behaviour" in a pub was due to being spiked.

A court heard how Kyle Williams, 37, had lost control while on a night out at Rose and Crown in Wallasey, Wirral, convinced his car keys had been nicked. He later stormed back to the boozer with a hammer, shattered a window, and menaced punters with the tool.

Liverpool Crown Court was told on Monday how Williams had been knocking back drinks with relatives on the night of March 15. Come close to midnight, the 37-year-old from Bishop Road got "argumentative and aggressive". Prosecutor Hannah Darling recounted how even after the landlady tried to soothe him, he kicked off, prompting two regulars to step in. That's when Williams snapped, asking them "who are you threatening?" before storming out.

Not long after he came back, hammer in hand, and busted the pub's window. He barged in, hammer raised, followed by his 13-year-old son wielding a blade, bellowing: "No one threatens me," reports the Liverpool Echo.

Patrons bolted in terror while some brave souls stepped up again. Williams repeated his threat "no one threatens me" and wrecked a glass panel in a door before legging it once more.

Williams, who had 13 previous convictions, including one for carrying an offensive weapon, was subdued by police using a Taser after he fled his house to evade arrest. John Rowan, defending Williams in court, elaborated: "He has now been in custody for some 28 days.

"He is a father-of-three and he is a grandfather to one. He is a far cry from the 20-year-old who went to prison for drug and driving offences. The past few weeks have been sobering for him. He has had time to reflect on how he behaved that night. He fully accepts that his behaviour was disgraceful.

"What happened that evening is something he cannot get his head around. That is not the man he perceived himself to be. While he has previous convictions, none of them are for violence.

"He maintains that he might have been spiked by an individual in the pub. He became paranoid. He became irrational. He believed that individuals had taken the keys to his car, which was parked outside."

Williams confessed to making threats with an offensive weapon and criminal damage.

Appearing via video link from HMP Liverpool, clad in a black Mountain Equipment coat over a red Montirex tracksuit top, he puffed out his cheeks, bowed his head and rubbed his eyes with his right hand as he was given a 14-month suspended sentence for two years.

Sentencing, Recorder Richard Pratt KC said: "On that night, no doubt fuelled by drink, you behaved outrageously. You were threatening and abusive to people who you thought, wrongly, had stolen your keys and, much worse, you returned having armed yourself with a hammer."

Williams was also ordered to complete 100-hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days, a programme requirement and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.

One of his supporters in the public gallery was heard to say "see you later Kyle" as the hearing concluded.