A PUB-goer said he was surprised to be told he had committed an criminal offence after he took a photo of a woman in a Hereford pub.

Ben Burden, 32, went for a drink at The Grandstand in Grandstand Road with his friend Kurt Denekamp, 41, on a Sunday night when he became involved in an altercation.

The Bobblestock resident said that a woman who was drinking at the pub flicked cider at him and spoke aggressively towards him. He said he didn’t react but to “protect himself” he took a photo of the woman and her two friends.

One of the women noticed and tried to grab his phone from him, before another man drinking at the pub became involved too.

Staff asked Ben and Kurt to leave and they were subsequently barred.

Kurt wrote to the pub to complain, only to receive an email back which said: “You do know that taking pictures of girls/woman without their consent is actually classed as sexual harassment?

“Even if they did say something to him before he took the photo he shouldn’t have taken that picture right down to the fact that he could have done anything with that photo and especially without the consent of them.”

Police said they received a complaint from a member of staff but when officers attended the pub no-one came forward and no-one involved in the incident could be located. There was no further action taken.

Kurt said he believed it was a waste of police time to suggest it was sexual harassment.

He said: “It’s unrealistic to expect to sit in a bar or restaurant (or stand in public) and not be photographed either by accident or design."

Taking photos in a public place is not illegal. The only time an offence is committed is if the photographs being taken are considered to be indecent.

Ben said he believes staff at the pub should have tried to resolve the matter peacefully instead of making threats to call the police.

A spokesperson for the Grandstand said: “We do not tolerate inappropriate or antisocial behaviour and aim for The Grandstand to be a welcoming place for all. After receiving complaints about the behaviour of two individuals recently, we asked them to leave and they have been barred.”