Baseball bat thug hit chip shop boss
Shouting row led to attack, court is told
A raging man who attacked a fish and chip shop boss with a baseball bat, claimed his victim was armed with a blade.
Marc Wheelan, 44, assaulted proprietor Zafer Hashim with the bat at L’Arco carry out restaurant, Cross Arthurlie Street, Barrhead following a shouting match.
The claims emerged at Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday where Wheelan alleged he had only gone and got the baseball bat because the owner was armed with a knife.
Wheelan from Wraes Avenue, Bar rhead, appeared for sentencing after admitting charges of assault and public disorder involving Mr Hashim, when his counter-claims emerged.
A defence agent for the accused told the court : “The level of responsibility for the offence has been questioned by the accused and as a consequence he provides an allegation the shop keeper was in possession of a knife.
“Subsequent to that he went to get the baseball bat.
“My client says camera footage inside the shop would show the incident, however, the complainer would not give that to us.”
Sheriff Colin Pettigrew asked Fiscal Depute Meghan Clancy what was the prosecution’s position on the defence’s claim.
The fiscal replied: “There was no mention of a knife in the police report.”
Wheelan pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm in that he shouted, swore and uttered threats of violence and did challenge proprietor Mr Zafer Hashin to engage in a stand-up fight on October 2, 2017.
The accused also admitted a charge of assaulting the shopkeeper with a baseball bat and attempting to strike him with the bat during the encounter.
Sheriff Pettigrew told Wheelan: “This is a very serious charge. However, I will further defer sentence for a proof in mitigation to take place.
“This will relate, at least in part, to submissions made where I will want to pay close attention to what is said.”
The sheriff added the debate would happen on July 24 after which the accused will learn his fate.