A Moray man who threatened to turn violent when pizza takeaway staff refused to call him “boss” has been sentenced to unpaid work.
Lee Stewart, who used to work at Pino Pizza’s Elgin branch, visited the firm’s Lossiemouth base with his partner on July 2.
When bemused staff declined to show deference to the 38-year-old, the couple became violent.
Nicola Baker, who lives in Elgin with Stewart, threatened to burn down the Queen Street outlet and gestured to staff that she would slit their throats.
Frightened customers, who were also at the venue at about 1am, called the police after the pair began shouting and swearing.
Yesterday, both Stewart and Baker, 30, appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty to the offence.
Fiscal Alex Swain said: “Both accused went outside at one point and a member of staff managed to shut the door. Both continued to shout from outside. Miss Baker started to kick the door and made a gesture that she would slit the throats of staff by gliding a finger across her neck.
“A customer who was there was so horrified that she contacted the police.”
The glass door to the takeaway was eventually smashed after Baker continued to kick it.
When police caught up with the pair on the A941 Lossiemouth to Elgin road, near Spynie Palace, officers had to use their spray to subdue Stewart.
Stewart then “lashed” and “struck” out at constable Kyle Cowie. His defence solicitor Ian Maltman said: “Mr Stewart used to work for Pino Pizza and had a good rapport with staff.
“Staff in Elgin previously called him ‘boss’, although he was not the manager. When he visited the Lossiemouth branch he suggested staff there should call him that.
“The difficulty was that the complainer did not know Mr Stewart and took exception to that.”
Stewart and Baker, both of Hazel Court in Elgin, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and swearing and making threats of violence at Pino Pizza.
Baker pleaded guilty to a further charge of recklessly or maliciously causing damage by kicking a door and smashing a glass pane, while Stewart admitted a further charge of resisting arrest.
Baker was ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £100 compensation, Stewart was sentenced to 160 hours of unpaid work.