Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Rebecca Sherdley

Nottinghamshire shoplifter was 'out of order big time' when he pushed Asda store manager

A drunk shopper pushed an Asda store manager when he confronted him over the theft of wine and Port, a court heard. Anthony Hill and another man were seen acting suspiciously before the assault at the Asda on Victoria Retail Park, Memorial Avenue, Worksop.

Nottingham Crown Court was told staff heard bottles smashing, with Hill and the other man leaving with booze and not paying on March 16 last year. The store manager saw Hill holding two bottles of Rose wine in one hand and a bottle of Port in the other.

The manager decided to take one of the bottles from him - but Hill warned him not to touch him. Hill slightly pushed the manager and went towards him waving the bottle of Port in his hand and saying he was not afraid to hit him.

Read more: Mum from The Meadows stole from Lidl and House of Fraser to fund her drug use

The £30 worth of booze was recovered, and 36-year-old Hill, of Hawkins Close, Harworth, arrested. He was aggressive towards a police officer and banged his head on the side of a police van.

Hill is a man with 31 convictions for 67 offences dating back to 2001. He has 12 convictions for theft and similar offences, the court was told on Wednesday (May 3).

In mitigation, the court heard Hill is ashamed of what he did. He accepted, in his words, he was "out of order big time". He went on to plead guilty to theft and common assault by beating.

Judge William Harbage KC said: "It appears you were turned away from work for not complying with a requirement there. You started drinking and got drunk with your colleague and went to Asda to get some alcohol and stole more bottles of wine and were confronted."

When the store manager confronted Hill, the judge said he reacted in a "pretty disgraceful way" and was in his face close to him, pushing him - but not to the extent that he fell over. "But, no doubt, attempting to intimidate at that point," said the judge.

Hill's punishment was a community order for 18 months, a "thinking skills programme", 15 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement, unpaid work for 50 hours and a requirement to pay a victim surcharge.

The judge concluded the assault on the manager was "nasty" - and on somebody who was just doing their job, "trying to stop people like you stealing from their store and you were under the influence of alcohol at the time".

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.