A TROUBLED pub described as having 'blood splattered' walls during a police visit has been shut down.

The council’s licensing sub-committee today decided to revoke the licence held by Terry Jelley for The Pitlake Arms in Waddon New Road.

And with the 68-year-old saying it’s 'not worth appealing' the decision, he is now set to sell the Croydon pub.

Police had a string of complaints about the venue, including trading after permitted hours, smoking inside, the use of drugs being 'commonplace' and fights.

And they even raised fears there could be a death before long.

In the early hours of New Year's Day, a victim of an assault was 'thrown out' of the pub and found by officers wandering the streets. He was in a confused state and had suffered a suspected fractured jaw.

Barrister Matthew Butt, representing the Met, said at the hearing: "There was blood on the pavement outside the pub and officers knocked on the door.

"Eventually, after two minutes, and after somebody shouted out ‘it’s the old bill’ the door was opened by Mr Jelley.

"Despite the fact there was blood literally splattered on the walls of the premises, when an officer asked Mr Jelley if anything had happened in the premises he lied and said nothing had happened at the pub that evening."

Officers found 12 people inside at the time, but were all 'too drunk' to provide statements.

Just two months earlier a man was hit over the back of a head by a suspect armed with a bat at the venue.

Police say that, again, Mr Jelley tried to hide the fact an assault had taken place.

And one woman was ‘grabbed by the head and thrown out’ in April last year after a barman was ‘trying it on and she made it clear she wasn’t interested’.

Mr Jelley, who has run The Pitlake Arms since 1995, freely admitted he held lock-ins.

He told the committee: "I’ve never been in prison and never been inside.

"Back street pubs like me all have lock-ins. It’s being going on back to the 17th Century."

As recently as January 7 this year, police attended a disturbance outside the venue and discovered music coming from inside after 2am.

Sergeant Hayden Skilton explained he formed the impression Mr Jelley was drunk.

In his statement, he added: "I found Mr Jelley’s attitude uncooperative, unprofessional and completely dismissive of his obligations and legal requirements of his position as a licensee."