Ashley Blake jailed for two years over pub attack

Sep 2 2009 By Christina Savvas and Paul Bradley

Sproule, 38, of Booths Farm Road, Great Barr, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

After the verdict Blake admitted his career was over and expressed his fears at the prospect of jail.

He was dismissed by the BBC following an internal inquiry into the incident.

Blake worked as the BBC’s regional art and entertainment correspondent and presented consumer programme Watchdog before moving back to Birmingham.

He featured regularly on Midlands Today and current affairs show Inside Out.

Blake, who grew up in a single parent, mixed race family in Lozells, said he worked hard to get away from his criminal past which included two counts of theft in 1986 and three more in 1987.

In 1988 he was convicted of handling stolen goods and altering documents following a road traffic accident and in 1990 driving while disqualified.

Blake was also convicted of theft in 1993.