Store worker punched in row over cigarette
A THUG punched a member of staff at a town Tesco Express store when a row over the sale of a packet of cigarettes spiralled out of control and turned violent.
Joseph Hayes lost his temper and hit his victim at the Shepshed store three times, a court heard.
Prosecutor Neil Hollett told Leicester Magistrates’ Court 27-year-old Hayes, of Field Street, Shepshed, and his partner visited the Charnwood Road shop at 3pm on Monday, May 25.
The woman bought a number of items, including a packet of cigarettes and left the shop.
However, when she left the shop she accidentally left the cigarettes behind, Mr Hollett said.
She and Hayes returned a short time later but an argument blew up and Hayes turned violent, Mr Holthe lett said. He told the court Hayes entered the store, approached the tills and “began shouting and being abusive” to the member of staff operating one of the tills.
Another member of staff intervened and warned Hayes not to be abusive.
Mr Hollett said: “The defendant then leaned across the counter and punched him in the face before walking out of the store.
“The victim followed him outside to obtain photographs of him or to get his vehicle’s registration.”
He was standing in front of Hayes’ vehicle while he did so, Mr Hollett said.
He said: “The defendant told him to get away from his car and began to walk toward him, making him fearful of what would happen next.
“As he walked back toward the shop the staff member felt two blows to the back of his head.
“The defendant got back into his car and left.”
Hayes was arrested later and taken into custody for questioning.
During that interview, police showed him CCTV footage of what he had done.
Mr Hollett said: “He accepted it was him in the footage and was embarrassed by his actions.”
He told officers he believed the assault at the till had been a slap rather than a punch, Mr Hollett said.
Perminder Bassi, representing Hayes, told the court: “He’s extremely remorseful. Those were his first words to me and he wants to reiterate that above all else.
“On that day his partner had gone into the store while he waited outside. She purchased some items, including cigarettes.
“Unfortunately, she left the cigarettes behind, went back to the car and only realised they were missing after they drove away.
“As they drove back to the shop, she rang and told them what had happened and was told there was no issue.
“She went and was met with an abrupt reply that she would need to show them a receipt - which she did not have.
“She was told ‘that’s the end of it’ and she went outside to tell her partner what had happened. He became upset when he saw how upset she was and he marched into store.
“He was interviewed by police in August and made full admissions, is remorseful and accepts full responsibility for what happened.
“He says he was extremely embarrassed when he was shown the CCTV footage.”
At the time of the assault, Mr Bassi said, Hayes was having financial difficulties due to the coronavirus crisis and was also having issues with a neighbour.
Both factors had affected his mental state, Mr Bassi said.
He added: “When he walked into the store it was effectively the straw which broke the camel’s back and he went over the top.”
Magistrates ordered Hayes to pay £250 in compensation to the victim.
Chairman of the bench Simon Edwards told him: “Somebody doing his job does not deserve to be assaulted in the course of his duties.”