‘Nasty drunk’ assaulted customer in Mansfield takeaway for complaining about pizza toppings

An “irate” Tony Shooter entered the King Kebab shop, on Leeming Street, Mansfield town centre, on August 28, last year, just before 7pm, Stefan Fox, prosecuting, said.

Nottingham Crown Court was shown CCTV of Shooter, aged 46, hitting the man, who was much smaller than him, twice in the face – while subject to a community order for violence.

He continued to beat him while he was on the ground for the next three to four minutes, despite the efforts of shop workers to stop him.

The altercation ended when Shooter released his victim from a sleeper hold, which Mr Fox said was akin to strangulation.

The man was left “in a great deal of pain” with swelling and cuts to his face and arm.

The court heard Shooter has six previous convictions for nine offences, all for violence, and was last in trouble in December 2021, when he received a 12-month community order for assaulting members of his family in an “ongoing feud”.

Shooter, of Hickling Court, Mansfield, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Victoria Rose, mitigating, said Shooter had completed unpaid work as part of the community order before downing eight pints and four shorts while watching Nottingham Forest.

She said he did not like the way his victim was complaining about the toppings on his pizza.

A large part of the exchange was Shooter trying to retrieve his phone and he kept his distance afterwards, Ms Rose added.

She said Shooter’s partner, who witnessed the attack while sitting on a mobility scooter outside the shop, has been diagnosed with cancer and Shooter has given up his job to be her main carer.

Sentencing, Judge Steven Coupland told him: “You’re a nasty drunk. This is the second time in recent memory you have got loaded up on drink and been violent to other people.

“It was none of your business what was happening in the shop, but you made it your business.

“People in the shop tried to get in the way, but you weren’t having any of it and continued carrying out this nasty assault.”

However, there was no suggestion he had reoffended and he has made efforts to reduce his alcohol intake.

Sentencing Shooter to 14 months’ jail, suspended for 18 months, Judge Coupland said only his partner's illness prevented an immediate prison sentence from being imposed.

Speaking after the sentencing, PC Andrew Brundish, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Without any provocation at all, Shooter launched himself at a man who, like him, was simply waiting for some food.

“The assault that followed lasted for several minutes and fortunately only left the victim with cuts and bruises to his face, as opposed to more serious injuries.

“While by his own admission, Shooter had consumed a lot of alcohol that day, this is simply not an excuse for anyone to act in the manner he did.

“Nottinghamshire Police strongly condemns all forms of violence and will never tolerate this kind of behaviour in our communities.

“As highlighted by the judge, there does seem to be a clear link between alcohol and Shooter’s offending, so hopefully he uses this as a wakeup call to change his ways for the better.”