Two men have been jailed for a “vicious and sustained” assault at a Perth chip shop, which left one member of staff slumped unconscious in a doorway.
A second employee had his head slammed against a pizza oven during the booze-fuelled rammy at Watson’s takeaway, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
Ewan Grant and Tyler Cheape admitted the joint attack at the North Methven Street eatery on September 8 this year.
The pair were jailed for a combined total of 14 months.
Cheape, 23, was told by Sheriff William Wood: “If you are going to commit big boy crimes, it’s time you got a big boy punishment.”
Rape threat
Events spiralled out of control after Cheape threatened to rape a passing woman as she walked with her partner on Foundry Lane.
Prosecutor Stuart Hamilton told the court: “Mr Cheape asked the male if he knew him, to which the witness replied that he did not.
“Both witnesses continued walking in the direction of their home and Mr Cheape became angry.”
He shouted to the man: “I am going to kill you” and to the woman: “I am going to rape you.”
Mr Hamilton said: “Both witnesses were left in a state of fear and alarm by this incident.”
Head struck pipe
Just after 9pm, employees Duminda Ekanayake and Nuwan Weerasakara were at Watson’s when they heard shouting from outside.
They left the shop to speak to customers waiting there.
Cheape and Grant shouted at them: “What are you looking at?”
When the workers explained they were only there to tell customers their takeaways were ready, Grant pushed Mr Ekanayake.
He then punched him to the face, causing his head to strike a pipe attached to an outside wall.
Cheape also punched Mr Ekanayake in the head, the fiscal depute said.
“Mr Weerasakara assisted Mr Ekanayake back inside to try and get away but both accused followed them in.”
When Mr Weerasakara tried to call 999, Cheape pleaded: “Don’t call the police, you’ll get us in trouble.”
Mr Weerasakara terminated the call, before it connected.
‘Sorry for hitting your son’
Mr Hamilton said: “Both accused then went behind the counter and began assaulting Mr Weeraskara, with Mr Cheape repeatedly punching him to the head.
“Mr Grant grabbed Mr Weeraskara’s head and pushed it against the pizza oven.
“At this time, Mr Ekanayake was lying on the floor in the doorway and appeared unconscious.”
A third staff member who ran through from the kitchen area intervened.
Cheape told him: “Sorry for hitting your son.”
Both accused ran off towards Mill Street after police were called.
Police assault
Mr Hamilton said Mr Ekanayake was left with “significant swelling ” to his left eye socket, as well as to his nose, jaw and mouth.
“He was unconscious for an unknown amount of time as a result of the assault.”
Mr Weerasakara suffered a bump to the left side of his forehead.
Police arrived at the takeaway and saw blood droplets on the floor, alongside a broken perspex screen and wooden chair.
Grant and Cheape were traced by officers at 11.20pm on a footpath near Mill Street.
When under caution, Grant asked: “How bad were their injuries?”
While at the charge bar in Dundee, Cheape kicked PC Leighton Davidson to the leg.
“Due to the accused’s erratic and violent behaviour, he was placed on the ground and restrained,” said Mr Hamilton.
‘Thoroughly ashamed’
Grant, 34, of Drummond Court, Perth, pled guilty to two charges of assault and was jailed for 46 weeks.
Cheape, of Potterhill Gardens, admitted threatening and abusive behaviour on Foundry Lane, and assaulting the two retail workers and PC Davidson.
Sheriff William Wood said: “This was a vicious and sustained assault against people who were shop workers, who were unlikely to have instigated any kind of incident.
“And even if they had, the fact you chased them inside and committed further assaults against them is to be deplored.”
Jailing Cheape for 18 weeks, he said: “If you are going to commit big boy crimes, it’s time for a big boy punishment.
“Only a custodial sentence is appropriate.
“However, you are significantly younger than Mr Grant and you have never been to prison before.”
The sheriff added: “I hope that this is a wake-up call for you.”
Solicitor Mike Tavendale, for Grant, said: “He readily accepts he should know better than to get himself involved in incidents like this.
“He is not proud.”
The court heard that Cheape was similarly “thoroughly ashamed and disgusted by his behaviour.”
The sheriff noted Cheape had previously completed five years on the Right Track programme for young offenders.
“It is disappointing that he has behaved in this way after so much social work input,” he said.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
