A BUSINESSMAN has had his conviction for criminal damage at a pub overturned following an appeal in court.

Brighton magistrates found Gary Edmonds guilty of causing criminal damage in an incident motivated by homophobia in March at the Queen Victoria pub in Rottingdean High Street.

Mr Edmonds, 53, of Chailey Avenue, Rottingdean, who denied the charges, had the appeal against his conviction and sentence approved at Brighton Crown Court last Thursday.

The director of Channel Glazing Ltd, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last month, said: “I am over the moon that the appeal was successful and the conviction was thrown out.

“It has been really damaging to me and the company.

“It was a great feeling to have it overturned because it really hit us hard.

“I appealed the day after the decision was made at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.

“It took us six months to get the appeal heard before the court.

“We had so much work cancelled at the company. I feel like it was so clear from the beginning that it wasn’t me.

“I will never know why I was convicted.

“I have never been in court before. The level of abuse I got online was horrific.

“It was just tough and unfair.

“It gets your family involved and people ask a lot of questions.”

The alleged incident took place on the evening of August 13, 2016. The court previously heard a group of men including Mr Edmonds were in the pub and were asked to leave by the landlord, Philip Rees and his partner and employee, Ian Wilson.

The court was told in March that a glass panel was damaged and homophobic comments were made by two men from the group.

Mr Edmonds was given a fine of £1,086 to cover damage to the pub and the legal costs incurred by Mr Wilson and Mr Rees.

He was also given a 12 month restraining order, told to make no direct contact with the two men and permanently banned from the pub.

Mr Edmonds has now been cleared of all charges and has had his sentence overturned.

A Defence Costs Order of an unspecified amount is also due to be paid to him.