A SCOTS Guardsman spat in the face of a barmaid when she refused to serve him because he was banned under the Bar-U pubwatch scheme.

Blackburn magistrates heard that James Cathie then went outside the pub and smashed Mandy Bury's car windscreen with a plank.

His appearance came on the day he was due to fly back to Germany to rejoin his regiment prior to training in Canada and posting to Iraq.

Magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report and bailed Cathie until February 12 with a warning that custody could be a sentencing option.

Cathie, 22, of Sough Road, Darwen, admitted assault and damage. Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Miss Bury was working in the Bridgewater pub when Cathie came in at about 10.45pm.

She was told by another member of staff that he was on the Bar-U list and after checking photographs, Miss Bury told Cathie she could not serve him.

Cathie said he wasn't going to cause any trouble, but he was still asked to leave.

At that point he became threatening, went up to Miss Bury's face and verbally abused her.

Miss Allan said: "He warned Miss Bury she had better not step foot outside the pub because it would be the last thing she did."

Miss Bury started to shake with fear. "He suddenly spat in her face and then walked out," Miss Allan said. CCTV footage had shown Cathie going in the direction of Miss Bury's car but not actually committing the damage which he had admitted to the police when arrested.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Cathie accepted he had acted in a "disgraceful" manner. Cathie could not understand why he was on the Bar-U scheme.

"He did not get chance to challenge the decision because he is in the army and when he has returned on leave he has had to live with it."

The bench chairman said: "I am sure the Scots Guards will not be impressed by this kind of behaviour."