AFTER becoming a drunken nuisance at a West Wight pub while customers watched the World Cup, a London chef then threatened to burn it down with the landlady and staff inside. 

Johnathan Dennis Underwood, of Wimbledon Park Road, Wandsworth, London, faces a possible jail term after he admitted using threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour, in Totland, on November 22. 

Underwood, who had been drinking at the Highdown Inn that afternoon, became a drunken nuisance and made obnoxious comments to customers while they were watching World Cup football, said Liz Miller, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Friday. 

When a female bartender told Underwood to leave the premises because he had been upsetting patrons, he bombarded her with vile insults.

Underwood went on to warn her: "You don't know who I am. I have connections," before making a threat to burn down the pub, with staff and the pub's landlady in it, together with a throat-slitting gesture.

The 59-year-old continued to make vile rants against the landlady and staff outside the pub, before he was eventually arrested.

The incident lasted somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour, Ms Miller added.

Underwood has convictions for a breach of the peace in 2015 and being drunk and disorderly in 2018.

Police subsequently enforced an exclusion order for Underwood preventing him visiting the Highdown Inn.

For Underwood, Oscar Vincent said his client was "very embarrassed and fully apologetic" about his actions, which he claimed he had no memory of.

Mr Vincent said Underwood came to the Isle of Wight for a short break, in low mood, following the break-up of a ten-year relationship and his work contract as a chef coming to an end.

Underwood had enjoyed a meal and drinks at the Highdown Inn the previous day, without incident, and had enjoyed it so much returned, the court heard.

"He chatted to customers and made the mistake of drinking spirits. The rest is a blur, with him eventually waking up in the cells at Newport Police Station," Mr Vincent added.

Underwood told the police he had no intention of carrying out his arson threats and that he had no issues with the landlady or staff.

Magistrates ordered a report on Underwood, with all options open to the sentencing bench, to include imprisonment.

Underwood was bailed to reappear for sentencing at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on January 13.