POLICE investigating a suspected glassing incident at the Lounge Inn in Southport were hampered in their investigations after bar staff “cleansed” the scene of the crime.

Officers investigating what they have said was an “extremely serious assault” were called three hours after the incident took place on Easter Sunday.

According to a report which will go before licensing bosses, upon reviewing CCTV from the Lounge, which is also known as Ciros, they discovered that “the scene of the crime had been cleansed prior to police arrival by staff reducing the availability of valuable forensic / corroborative evidence”.

Police say they want the bar’s licence suspended, and Sefton council’s licensing bosses are to hold an emergency review of the premises licence following the latest incident, in which 27-year-old David Jackson was allegedly glassed following a row over a woman.

Mr Jackson, who works at DP Joinery in Southport, needed 20 micro-stitches to his face and was only released from hospital on Wednesday.

Steven Howard, 29, of Portland Street, Southport, appeared before magistrates on Thursday charged with section 18 wounding.

The Easter Sunday incident follows on from a similar incident in August 2008, and the arrest of Liverpool FC star Steven Gerrard over an alleged affray at the venue in December.