Smoking ban pub rebel in appeal
3:42pm Friday 15th February 2008 in News By Staff Reporter
REBEL landlord Nick Hogan, who faced a bill of £10,000 after being convicted of breaching the smoking ban, has launched his appeal against the conviction and sentence.
The former licensee of The Swan Hotel and Barristers in Bolton town centre was found guilty of four charges of failing to prevent people from smoking in his pubs following a trial at Bolton Magistrates Court last month.
He was fined £3,000 - £750 for each conviction - and ordered to pay £7,121 in costs, plus a £15 victim surcharge.
Mr Hogan, aged 40, was found not guilty of one count of failing to prevent people from smoking in his pub and four charges of obstructing council officers.
Mr Hogan, who now runs The Swan With Two Necks in Chorley, said: "It isn't my job to enforce the ban. I'm not a police officer or council enforcement officer.
"I told people it was against the law for them to smoke and it isn't up to me to throw them out on the street."
Following the trial, district judge Timothy Devas said Mr Hogan had committed a "flagrant breach of the law" after allowing people to smoke in his pubs on July 5, 6, 17 and 19 last year.
