Man spat in McDonald's worker's face after breaching ban on entering the outlet in King Street in South Shields

Karl Wilson, 45, of Hedley Close, off Mile End Road, South Shields, carried out the vile assault when she attempted to stop him entering the town’s King Street outlet, from which he was already banned.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard he pushed past her on Thursday, January 9 – and spat when she tried to get him to leave.

Jobless Wilson has now been ordered to pay her £50 compensation for the assault but escaped further punishment after the court was told he had serious mental health problems.

Prosecutor Rachael Glover said: “He was actually banned from McDonald’s. When he tried to enter she has told him to leave but he’s barged past her.

“She again asked him to leave and he’s spat in her face.”

Val Bell, defending, said: “It is clearly very unpleasant. I’ve spoken to Mr Wilson about what happened on the day in question, he’s a man with quite a considerable number of problems.

“On the day, he’d gone to McDonald’s because he had no sugar or milk in his flat. He wanted to get them from McDonald’s. He was refused entry.

“He fully accepts that his behaviour was wrong. Mr Wilson has long-standing, substantial mental health problems.”

He must pay £85 courts costs, but magistrates imposed no other sentence due to his medical issues.