Three people from Bourne area in court after assaulting staff at McDonald's in Boston

Three people from the Bourne area have appeared in court after three McDonald’s employees were assaulted at a restaurant in Boston.

Magistrates in Boston described the incident – on August 7 – as “shocking and terrible behaviour”.

Simon Robert Miller, 43, then living at Whitehall, Gosberton near Spalding but now at Aveland Way, Aslackby, near Sleaford admitted assault by beating on Nathan Whittemore.

Another young man, aged 20, admitted assault by beating Mr Whittemore as well as threatening behaviour with intent to cause people to believe immediate violence would be used against them.

And a third person, a teenager, admitted assaulting Mr Whittemore as well as Oakleigh Weekes and Zac McDonnell by beating, as well as threatening behaviour and criminal damage to an external window and an internal wall at McDonald’s during the incident.

Prosecuting, Ruth Snodin said the three entered McDonald’s in Boston in the evening of August 7 following a banger racing meeting.

She said the two young men, who can’t be named for legal reasons, were seen to attack Mr Whittemore after he had asked them to leave the premises when the youth had locked another member of staff in a cupboard, taken his glasses and had also goaded him about his sexuality.

She said damage was caused to the restaurant by the youth, who damaged a window and a wall, but after they had gone out, Simon Miller came back in and punched Mr Whittemore and the youth came back in and punched Mr McDonnell.

She said that when they were arrested, Simon Miller had said he had only got involved to stop the other two defendants but admitted he did slap Mr Whittemore, allegedly in self defence.

Mitigating for the two who can’t be named, Martin Newton said the incident was “something out of character” for both, neither of whom had any previous convictions.

He said all three had been drinking and “clearly became the worse for wear”, before they went to McDonald’s for some food and started “messing around”.

He said the two younger ones put each other into the cupboard and then, when Mr McDonnell came out, “he went in the cupboard”.

Mr Newton said another member of staff then came out and told them “not to be so silly” and things “quickly escalated” from
there.

He said “a number of punches were thrown but then it died down” but the youth took a metal strip from the door and used it to cause damage to a window and a wall before assaulting another staff member.

“It wasn’t a homophobic attack,” said Mr Newton, “it was just a one-off line”.

Stuart Wilde, mitigating for Simon Miller said he “had a clash with Mr Whittemore”.

“He came late to the party,” he said “and at most one punch was thrown.”

The magistrates said it had been ‘shocking and terrible behaviour’ and a “very, very serious incident” in a restaurant where there would have been young children, but added that the two who can’t be named had written full apologies to McDonald’s about their behaviour.

Simon Miller was fined £378 with £122 in costs and charges.

The 20-year-old was fined £416 with £126 in costs and charges and he was ordered to pay £100 compensation to Mr Whittemore.

The youth’s offending “passed the custody threshold” and he will be sentenced at the Youth Court on March 12.