A GOLF club worker has been refused a licence to sell alcohol after councillors learned he was convicted of attacking a man in Ayr.

James Michael McKenna applied to South Ayrshire Council for a personal licence to sell booze.  But politicians voted to reject his request after hearing of his crime from the police. 

McKenna punched and kicked a 64-year-old man on the head and body to his injury in River Street on January 6, 2017. He was sentenced at court to unpaid work and a restriction of liberty order at a later date.

South Ayrshire Chief Inspector Brian Anderson asked councillors to refuse McKenna’s licence application on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder.

Speaking at the licensing board on Thursday, January 16 McKenna said he was in a “bad place with depression and anxiety” at the time of the assault.  He said: “It should have never happened.”

Describing how his life has turned around since, he told councillors he has attended college and  is now married with a family. 

Councillor Laura Brennan-Whitefield asked McKenna if he had been drinking before carrying out the assault.  He answered yes.

She said: “How can I be sure that this type of behaviour won’t happen again.”

Mc Kenna said he had been drinking too much at the time but now barely goes out and only has a couple when he does.

He said: “I can assure you it will never happen again.”

Councillor Siobhian Brown voted to give McKenna a second chance and grant his licence alongside  Councillor Brennan-Whitefield.

But the licence application was eventually refused after five other politicians voted against granting it.