A COUPLE distressed a group of children by causing a fracas in front of hundreds of people at Northwich Carnival, a court has heard.

Daniel Jones, 51, and Halina Kitchen, 59, both of Danefield Road, disturbed a dance routine at the family event in Verdin Park.

After a two-day trial at Chester Magistrates Court, Jones was found guilty of assault and threatening, insulting and abusive behaviour.

His partner Kitchen was found guilty of disorderly behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress.

The court heard that on July 2, Kitchen began ‘prancing around’ in the arena when youngsters from the Elite dance troupe were starting their routine.

She was asked to sit down but got up again and continued to disturb the event.

Witness Anthony Taylor, whose seven-year-old nephew was in the dance troupe, said: “If I’m honest, it’s as if she was drunk.

“She was running around and dancing about. Everyone was having a nice time but she took it one step too far. It was all a bit surreal really.”

The court heard that Mr Taylor and his wife were among around 20 people who intervened and Jones also entered the arena to ‘defend’ Kitchen.

But when Mr Taylor tried to pull him away, Jones punched him in the side of the head.

“The wound was pumping with blood,” said Rachel Wallace, another witness.

Jones, who defended himself, said that Kitchen was a ‘harmless, eccentric character’ and described the people who intervened as a ‘hostile mob’ and ‘hyenas’.

He added: “My business in that arena was to try and take Halina away. Why would you try and stop me?”

Jones was restrained by security officer Sean Scott before the police arrived.

Mr Scott admitted grabbing Jones’ beard to control him and grabbed his hand when he said he was trying to make a call to the police.

It is alleged that Jones said to him: “I’m going to rip your throat out and feed it to the dogs.”

Det Con Chris Palmer said that Jones was arrested on suspicion of assault and was placed in the police car.

He then began to shout and bang on the window and had to be forced from the vehicle when he resisted being put in handcuffs.

The court heard that he was abusive to officers and called Det Con Palmer a ‘paedophile’.

During the struggle, Jones’ trousers came down and PC Elizabeth Spurling covered him with a yellow jumper to save his modesty.

Jones said: “You stood there laughing collectively at my buttocks.”

But PC Spurling said: “I’ve got no interest in anyone being embarassed - Mr Jones or the carnival goers.”

The court also heard that Kitchen was screaming at the top of her voice while she was being transported to the police station.

Kitchen was fined a total of £215 including court costs and compensation. Jones will be sentenced at Chester Magistrates Court on October 21.