A MAN missed his own crown court trial after switching off his phone and engaging in heavy drinking.

David Hewer, 37, had been due to have his case determined by a jury after pleading not guilty to a charge of actual bodily harm assault arising out of a domestic incident.

But Hewer failed to attend Carlisle Crown Court last Wednesday as his trial was about to start.

“There were some concerns about his personal safety which, happily, proved fruitless concerns,” prosecutor Tim Evans said as the case came before Judge Nicholas Barker today (Monday).

“It seems he missed the trial date having turned off his phone and engaged in heavy drinking.”

After Hewer also failed to show for a further hearing later in the week to discuss case progress, a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Hewer, of Esk Avenue, Whitehaven, was brought to court this morning in custody having handed himself in at his home town police station yesterday (Sunday).

From the dock, he told Judge Barker he had done so swiftly having switched on his phone, realised his error and contacted his solicitor.

“I apologise,” he added.

When the charge he faced was put again he changed his plea to guilty, admitting he assaulted a woman, causing her actual bodily harm, on May 3 this year.

Hewer’s barrister, Kim Whittlestone, said a different judge had earlier “hit the nail on the head” at a previous hearing by observing that “alcohol seems to have become an increasing problem”.

Miss Whittestone asked for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. The probation service, she suggested, “may be able to assist the court with whether there are any options available for this defendant within the community to address what is becoming a problem for him, which is mainly alcohol”.

Judge Barker agreed, adjourning the case until December 13 and remanding Hewer into custody in the meantime after the prosecution opposed bail.

“You must understand that this is an assault in a domestic context. The courts treat this very seriously,” the judge told him.

“You, like anybody else, will be aware of the serious attitude that society takes to domestic incidents — particularly a man upon a woman.”