The Warwick Street venue was displaying a sign saying ‘closed tonight’ after senior worker accused of offences
A Birmingham pub has temporarily shut after a senior worker was charged with sexual assault.
The Spotted Dog pub in Warwick Street, Digbeth, had its premises licence suspended for 28 days at the request of West Midlands Police after an interim review was heard by Birmingham City Council’s licensing sub-committee A on Monday, March 3.
West Midlands Police confirmed: “Michael Tighe, aged 78, of The Spotted Dog in Warwick Street, has been charged with two sexual assaults and a further offence of causing a woman to engage in sexual activity.”
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He is due to appear before city magistrates for a first appearance on Friday, March 21.
Today, Thursday, March 6, a sign outside The Spotted Dog said: ‘Closed tonight. Sorry for any inconvenience’.
A West Midlands Police document said Tighe was the pub’s premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor. The DPS role holder has responsibility for the day-to-day management of a business, including accountability for the sale of alcohol.
In the police’s licensing review application, Supt Emlyn Richards said: “On August 21, 2024 an employee from the premises was charged with three offences and bailed to appear before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on March 21, 2025.
“This matter is a serious crime by virtue of the sentence tariff for the offences alleged.
“West Midlands Police has serious concerns for the promotion of the licensing objectives at his premises.
“This is such a serious incident and breach of the licensing objectives that West Midlands Police would request the premises license is suspended and the designated premises supervisor is removed.”
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At this week’s licensing hearing, no representative from the pub attended.
The licensing hearing was heard largely in private session due to the criminal charges.
The committee suspended the premises licence, pending a full review of the licence to be held within 28 days of receiving the application. It also removed Tighe from his role as the DPS.
The licensing hearing report said it was ‘abundantly clear the operation was not being run in accordance with the crime prevention objective’.
It said: “The sub-committee’s reasons for imposing the two interim steps are due to the concerns which were expressed by West Midlands Police in relation to matters pertaining to serious crime, which had come to light as outlined in the superintendent’s certificate and application.
“The sub-committee determined the cause of the serious crime originated from a style of management which had been incapable of upholding the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of crime and disorder.
“The style of management was the responsibility of Mr Michael John Tighe, as premises licence holder for the premises.
“The sub-committee noted that he was also the named designated premises supervisor on the licence.
“The sub-committee was not satisfied the licence holder could be trusted to operate in a manner capable of ensuring the prevention of further serious crime.
“This was a clear risk to the crime and disorder licensing objective. All in all, the management style seen at the premises was not at all the standard expected of premises licence holders in Birmingham.”
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The committee asked police, represented by Sgt Mark Swallow, why there had been a six-month delay in bringing the licence review application.
The report said: “The police confirmed their team (the police licensing team) had not been made aware of the matter until a week ago, when the Police Disclosure Unit informed them.
“The members asked this be addressed for future reference. The police confirmed this would be done.”
The premises licence holder is allowed to make representations against the interim steps and, if they do so, Birmingham City Council must hold a hearing ‘within 48 hours’ excluding non-working days.