ONE man has admitted assault and a second has promised a judge he will 'behave himself for a year' following an incident at a Whitehaven bar.

Rhys Paul Mason, 31, pleaded guilty to assaulting Callum Lace, by beating, when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court on Tuesday.

Mason, along with 33-year-old Shaun Kelly, had initially faced — and denied — a more serious charge. This had alleged that they assaulted Mr Lace, causing actual bodily harm, and dated back almost two years.

Both Mason and Kelly were due to stand trial at the crown court this week.

But in an address to Recorder Paul Hodgkinson, prosecutor Mark Stephenson revealed: “The Crown have reviewed the matter in the light of quite serious witness difficulties.”

This had prompted behind-the-scenes discussions between the respective legal teams.

As a result, the outcome was to level against Mason, of Calder Avenue, Mirehouse, Whitehaven, a less serious charge of assault by beating.

His guilty plea to that offence was deemed by the prosecution to be an acceptable alternative, and arose out of an incident at the town’s Manhattan's bar, Tangier Street, on February 23, 2020.

In addition, it was proposed that the charge faced by Kelly would not be pursued and would instead be left to lie on the court file.

This was after Kelly, of Valley View Road, Whitehaven, agreed to be bound over to keep the peace for a period of time.

Kelly’s barrister, Kim Whittlestone, told the court: “His last offences date back to 2012. He works in a renovation business. It is his own business. He doesn’t employ others but does take them job by job.”

In addition, he had a baby daughter and two primary school age children, and lived with his partner. Kelly also worked as a doorman although Miss Whittlestone said his licence was “suspended” as a result of the incident in 2020.

Recorder Hodgkinson ruled that Kelly should be bound over to keep the peace for a year, with a sum of £500 to be paid in the event of any default.

“You are giving this court a promise that you will, in effect, not commit any offences or similar over the next period of 12 months,” the judge said to Kelly.

Mason is due to be sentenced later this week by Recorder Hodgkinson for assaulting Mr Lace, and other unrelated crimes. These include the illegal possession of three bladed articles — three different knives — in public on a Barrow street, on May 2 last year.

Mason was remanded in custody in the meantime.