Man spat at shop staff and emptied soil on floor
A 21- year- old’s protest in a Maidstone supermarket landed him in court last week.
David-Benjamin Smart ripped open a sack of Aldi soil and tipped it over the floor of the Well Road store after taking exception to a frosty reception from staff last month.
Maidstone Magistrates’ Court heard Smart, who lives in nearby Boxley Road, was barred from the discount retailer at the time of the incident.
Seemingly determined to respect the store’s wishes he sent his ex-girlfriend in to buy toilet paper, but when she returned with kitchen roll, he took matters into his own hands.
He entered the supermarket with the intention of swapping the product but was immediately approached by Kristie Purse, who told him to leave. After a loud exchange Smart, who has ADHD and Asperger syndrome, spat in Mrs Purse’s face.
While he admitted invading Mrs Purse’s personal space he said he had never meant to spit at her and it was an unintended consequence of his shouting.
Mark Kateley, prosecuting, said: “Manager Stuart Collaghan then intervened and Smart also spat at him, hitting him in the face, with some going in his mouth. He ripped open a £1.79 bag of garden soil and shook the contents over the floor. He ran off and police found him shortly after with a small amount of herbal cannabis in his possession.”
The court heard during police interview Smart was quite excitable and said he felt the shop staff were discriminating against him because of his psychological issues. He told officers Mr Collaghan had pushed him against a wall and he had at first considered punching him before deciding spitting was a better option.
Smart, who admitted two offences of assault by beating, criminal damage and possession of cannabis, was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £136.79.