A LONDON pub where the former landlord was jailed for raping a man who fell asleep in his bar could be turned into a betting shop.
John Michael Coyne, 56, who ran the Prince of Wales pub in Harrow Road, Maida Vale, was sentenced on Monday, April 13 to nine years for oral rape and engaging in sexual activity without consent.
He had previously been found guilty in a hearing at Blackfriars Crown Court of the offences against his 25-year-old victim in the early hours of Sunday, 13 October 2014.
The premises – located close to Kilburn, an area that boasts strong links to the Irish community - is now undergoing building work and is covered by scaffolding.
According to Westminster City Council, a planning application was made in July, for “use of [the] ground floor unit as betting shop with associated alterations to elevations.”
The status of the application is pending, but the plans for a “BetFred betting shop” has drawn opposition from some members of the community, including Labour MP for Regents Park and Kensington North Karen Buck.
In a letter to Westminster Council’s Planning Department,Buck wrote:
There is a high level of deprivation in the surrounding streets and estates and several services close by providing support for vulnerable people, including Westminster Drugs project, Central and North West London Mental Health service and City Living for people with learning disabilities, so additional ‘stress’ to the area should be avoided.
Details of the incident involving former pub landlord Coyne during emerged during the trial earlier this year.
His victim – a young man - had been on a night out with friends after finishing work on Saturday, 12 October 2014, after which he visited Coyne’s pub and fell asleep on a sofa.
He then woke at around 3am to find Coyne assaulting him. Coyne ran and the victim called the police.
Coyne was charged after officers seized CCTV from the pub.
Detective Constable Neil Hume, the officer in the case, said following the sentencing:
Coyne abused his position as a landlord of a pub to take advantage of an unconscious customer and showed no remorse. I would applaud the victim’s bravery attending court and hope that the sentence sends out a clear message.
*This story was amended on Tuesday, October 20 to reflect the change in the status of the planning application to Westminster Council. It was originally stated as pending, but it has now been confirmed that it was rejected. The applicant has appealed the decision and the case will be decided by a Magistrate.
