Threw groceries at Supervalu manager

A 46-year-old Shantallow man who lost his temper whilst queuing to be served at Long's Supervalu on the Greenhaw Road and started throwing groceries at a manager last October, was told to 'learn some manners' by District Judge Barney McElholm at Derry Magistrate's Court last week.
The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.
The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.

A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) solicitor told the court how Thomas Doherty, from the Racecourse Road, assaulted the assistant manager at the Greenhaw Road store after becoming enraged at how long it was taking to get served.

He said Doherty lunged at the assistant manager and threw groceries at him when he was asked to leave the store for being verbally abusive.

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Other staff had to intervene following the incident in the supermarket aisle, the court heard.

The PPS solicitor said Doherty made full admissions during a police interview, stating: “I grabbed him because I was angry it took so long.”

Defence solicitor Paddy McDermott said Doherty had been “queuing for a long time.”

Mr. McDermott explained how one of the checkout attendants had requested another till be opened to deal with customers in the store but Doherty wasn’t happy at the length of time it was taking.

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He put the incident down to a “momentary loss of temper” and asked the court to give him credit for his candid admissions.

Mr McDermott also noted that the assault was at the lower end of the scale.

District Judge Barney McElholm told Doherty to “learn some manners” and fined him £100.

He also ordered him to pay £200 in compensation to the injured party and to pay an offender levy of £15.