A SOUTHAMPTON MP has described the one-month suspension of a cabbie’s licence for taking part in a mass brawl as “derisory”.

Caroline Nokes says the ban handed to Satnam Roath does not go far enough after the Wild West-style fracas at the Dorchester Arms pub last year.

He was one of four members of the same family who admitted charges of affray after launching violent assaults when a dispute broke out over who was buying drinks at the Onslow Road pub, which has since been shut by licensing chiefs.

Gurmit Singh Roath, 50, his sons Jaswant Singh, 30, and Satnam Singh, 27, and nephew Shakti Singh Roath, 28, were all given suspended prison sentences after the fight, which saw pool cues and bar stools brandished, and up to 20 people involved.

Since then, the city council’s licensing committee has met to decide the fate of Satnam’s taxi licence, and committee members decided to impose a one-month suspension.

But Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North Ms Nokes has criticised the sentence passed by the committee.

She said: “I really do not think a month’s suspension is adequate. In fact it is a derisory length of time when held in comparison to the gravity of the brawl at the Dorchester Arms.

“I know the constituents of mine who raised this case with me will be extremely angry that the city council has failed to take more proportionate action.”

The city council has so far refused to disclose the reason for the length of the suspension handed to Satnam Roath.

A spokesman said: “Of the four licensed taxi drivers involved in an incident at the Dorchester pub on June 30, 2013, one driver did not renew their license after it expired, another driver’s license was suspended for one month by the licensing committee after all evidence relating to their case was heard, and the other two drivers are unable to attend a licensing committee hearing to present their stories and are not allowed to make use of their licenses in the city.”

The Daily Echo understands that Gurmit Roath will not appear at a hearing as his taxi licence has expired and not been renewed.

Jaswant Roath and Shakti Roath are both unable to attend the hearings.