Dad and boy ‘saw drug dealing in McDonald’s’
POLICE are investigating after a dad claimed he saw drug dealing taking place in front of him and his five-year-old son in a city centre McDonald’s restaurant.
Dan Phillips said he was shocked to see drugs being sold in full view of customers inside the branch in East Gates,
at 11.30am on Saturday January 11.
Mr Phillips, from Hinckley, took a photograph of one of an alleged transaction and posted it on Twitter.
Alongside it, he wrote: “Leicester Clock Tower, 11.30am. What a disgrace. Bring my son in for lunch and drug deals are going on. Sort it out.”
Mr Phillips tweeted the photograph and message to police and to McDonald’s.
He said: “I was out shopping with my young son when we decided to get a bite to eat.
“He wanted to go to McDonald’s, so we went to the one by the Clock Tower.
“We went to the counter and got our food and sat down near the entrance near the Clock
Tower.
“A bloke who looked out of his head on Spice fell over outside the window and my son saw it.
“He said ‘What wrong with him, Daddy?’ I told him he had probably taken drugs and that was a bad thing. I think it is important to tell children about the reality of drugs at an early age.
“My son was looking out of the window when I saw these two men doing a drug deal.
“I saw drugs and money change hands. It was feet away from where we were. I could not believe it.
“They did it quite openly. I told my son we had to go.
“We took our food and went into the Highcross to sit on a bench in there. It was much more pleasant and we didn’t have to look at spiceheads and people dealing drugs.
“I took a picture of the drug dealing and put it on Twitter and tagged in the police and McDonald’s. The police got in touch and I have given them a full statement.
“McDonald’s has not been in touch and I am not impressed with their reaction.”
A McDonald’s spokesman said its staff at the restaurant were unable to react at the time as Mr Phillips had not reported the incident to them.
A company spokesman said: “The safety and security of our people and our customers is our absolute priority and we have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to crime and anti-social behaviour both in and around our restaurants.
“Unfortunately, the customer did not report this to a member of staff at the time, so they were unable to further investigate the nature of this issue.
“However, we understand the police are aware and the team will assist them with their inquiries.
“We have positive working relationships with the police and invest in CCTV and door staff.”
A police spokeswoman said: “On Monday evening we received a report of drug offending in a premises in East Gates in Leicester.
“Inquiries are ongoing.”