A RESTAURANT boss’s bid to flee justice for assaulting a city centre bar owner ended at Manchester Airport, a court heard.

Ozgun Oscar Altin, 37, and one of his relatives, were annoyed they were barred from Bora Bora nightclub, said Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, at York Crown Court.

So they hit the York club owner as he talked to a friend in a car in St Sampson’s Square.

At the time, Altin was on a suspended prison sentence for cannabis dealing.

He initially denied assaulting the bar owner and was bailed pending trial.

But on the day he should have been at York Magistrates' Court for his trial, he was at Manchester Airport, preparing to board a plane to Turkey. Police arrested him before he could leave the UK.

Altin, of Eboracum Way, York, was taken to York Magistrates' Court from the airport.

There he changed his plea to guilty to the assault, possessing cannabis at the airport and breaching the suspended sentence and was committed to York Crown Court for sentence. He was jailed for six and a half months, including four months previously suspended.

He was also banned from contacting the bar owner or going in the snickleway on which it is situated for five years under a restraining order.

Defence solicitor John Bottomley said: “He instructs me he has solicitors assisting with an asylum claim.”

Altin had lived in this country for more than 17 years and said he had indefinite leave to remain and was a Kurd, the court heard. Altin told the court he had a takeaway business in Pocklington.

“I am allowed to work in this country,” he said. “I have got my passport to work.”

Mr Bottomley said Altin had never been in prison before he was remanded following his airport arrest.

Mr Sharp said Altin and his relative “took exception at being barred from the bar Bora Bora”.

They were in the city centre at 4am on September 15, 2019, when they encountered its owner.

A car pulled up and the bar boss turned his back to speak to a friend in it.

“The complainant was punched to the ground, kicked and when he got up, was punched again,” said Mr Sharp.

The relative threw the first punch, said Mr Sharp.

The bar boss suffered a black eye.

Mr Sharp said Altin had eight cannabis joints on him when he was arrested at Manchester Airport.

Altin called out that he only had six.