A MAN spat at two bouncers at a lap dancing club then threatened to burn it down, a court heard.

Robert Humphries also shouted a racist slur towards one of the staff during the assault, which happened at Dreams and Desire on Boulevard on December 10.

Appearing at North Somerset Courthouse on Monday, Humphries, aged 40, pleaded guilty to assaulting Di Liso and Steven Hunt, assaulting a police officer and using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The court heard there was a dispute between bar staff, and Humphries, of Severn Avenue, over a bottle of champagne.

He was escorted out of the club by Mr Liso and he then spat and swore at him, and said ‘I’m going to burn the place down’.

Becky Gardner, prosecuting, said Humphries and his friend walked off but returned a short while later, and the defendant then spat at both Mr Liso and Mr Hunt.

When arrested, Humphries also spat at PC Glen Wheeler.

Neil Scott, defending, said his client and his two friends had spent around �300 at the club that night.

He said there had been ‘no problems’ until Humphries went to the bar to pay �20 towards a bottle of champagne, which he believed one of his friends had already given staff �20 towards.

Mr Scott said bar staff denied they had received the first �20 and as a result of this argument, he was ‘ejected’.

Magistrates were told Humphries sustained a ‘significant injury to his bottom lip’ during the night, and when he arrived at the police station his ‘left hand side was covered in blood’ and he needed treatment.

Mr Scott said the defendant moved to Weston from the Midlands, where he had a ‘serious drug problem’, in 2004 to make a ‘fresh start’ and has now ‘conquered’ his addiction.

He told the court that Humphries had stayed out of trouble with the law for more than six years and was not a violent person, but was drunk at the time of the incident.

Magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month community order, with a 12-month supervision requirement and 150 hours unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay �50 to each of the victims and �85 costs.