A bar boss who was accused of assault after he went out to break up a disturbance has been acquitted by a jury.

Sanjay Raval was alleged to have grabbed hold of Jake Swaisland around the throat and dumped him on the ground "like a sack of potatoes".

Mr Swaisland became unconscious and woke up on the ground covered in blood.

Maidstone Crown Court was told he had been with friends to the City Wall Wine Bar in Rochester managed by 50-year-old Mr Raval on New Year’s Eve last year.

Mr Swaisland was across the road from the High Street bar shortly after midnight when Mr Raval saw there was “some sort of disorder” starting, said prosecutor Ian Foinette.

“He went over and took hold of Mr Swaisland around his chest,” he told a jury.

“According to Mr Swaisland it was around his throat. It caused him to lose consciousness. He was dropped on the ground by Mr Raval.”

Mr Swaisland needed stitches around his left eye and he also had an injury to his mouth.

He told police he had been holding a cigarette for somebody else when Mr Raval, who had run the bar for 20 years, went over and grabbed him.

Mr Foinette said CCTV showed Mr Raval pulling Mr Swaisland backwards.

Mr Swaisland appeared to go limp, he said, and Mr Raval then dropped him like a sack of potatoes on the ground.

“He said he felt a choking sensation around his throat as he lost consciousness,” said Mr Foinette.

“He remembers waking up on the ground covered in blood. He went to the police station to complain.”

The landlord, who also managed The Rising Sun in Delce Road, claimed he had acted reasonably during the incident and had not assaulted Mr Swaisland.

Mr Raval, of Almond Grove, Hempstead, denied assault causing actual bodily harm and was acquitted.

Mr Raval has been contacted several times for comment.