Boozed-up shoplifter headbutted Tesco man in Mansfield

A shoplifter who head-butted a member of staff in Tesco says he may have been '˜spiked', a court has heard.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.Mansfield Magistrates Court.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.

David Lee Brown, 36, of Coral Crescent, Warsop, admitted common assault and theft when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The court heard Brown was stopped near the exit at the Tesco on Chesterfield Road South, on July 15, after he was spotted stumbling about and he dropped a bottle of Jaegermeister on the floor.

Ruth Snodin, prosecuting, said: “They said they wanted him to come to the office.

“The defendant pulled open his coat and showed a 250ml bottle of vodka.

“He lunged to head butt the man and struck him a glancing blow.”

Brown continued to throw punches as he was brought to the floor and other members of staff restrained him.

The court heard he has a history of dishonesty and his last conviction was for shop theft in March 2015.

Deborah Bell, mitigating, said at the time of 2015 offence Brown had been using a lot of amphetamine and ecstasy to deal with the loss of his daughter some years earlier.

“After his conviction in 2015 he decided that enough was enough and moved back to the Mansfield area to live with his parents.

“He has been drug free for a year and has a job as a ground worker.

“He was out with friends in Mansfield and then he simply can’t recall what happened.

“He feels that someone might have put something in his drink.

“The head butt was reckless and in the moment because he simply didn’t want to be escorted by the security officers in the state he was in.”

He was ordered to pay £100 compensation, fined £240 and £9 for the bottle of Jaegermeister, as well as costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.

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