‘Suspicious’ husband from Boldon attacked a taxi driver in a McDonald’s car park with a kebab pole

The woman had asked a taxi driver pal to take her from Newcastle to her home in Boldon, as a favour and they stopped off so she could get food from the chain on the way.

Newcastle Crown Court heard while she was eating, her husband Harpinder Chatha pulled into the carpark in the early hours of the morning and warned the cabbie "I'm going to burst your head open".

Chatha then used a kebab pole, which he had taken from the fish and chip shop where he worked with his wife, to hit the man.

The victim blocked the blow with his hand and ended up needing an operation on it. His vehicle was also damaged.

The pole had been part of a rotating kebab machine, used to roast meat.

Chatha, 41, of Leander Drive, Boldon, admitted unlawful wounding, having an offensive weapon and criminal damage.

Prosecutor Joe Culley told the court Chatha and his wife worked in a fish and chip shop and the victim, who had been a taxi driver for around 10 years, was a regular customer.

Mr Culley said: "On September 1 last year he was working in Newcastle and received a text from the defendant's wife. She was requesting a lift home as a favour.

"At around 3.25am he picked her up from the Crown Posada intending to drive her to her home in Boldon.

"She requested that they stop at McDonalds to collect some food. She was inside eating her food in the passenger seat and he was stood outside the vehicle, next to the driver's door.

"The defendant pulled into the carpark at speed, pulling up next to the complainant's vehicle.

"The complainant described the defendant jumping out of the car screaming words to the effect 'I'm going to kill you, going to strangle you' in the direction of his wife before turning his attention to the complainant.

"He grabbed a metal pole from his car. The defendant's wife later provided a statement saying she recognised it to be a kebab pole from the takeaway shop.

"The defendant used the metal pole to smash the rear windscreen of the complainant's car and he swung the pole towards the complaint, saying 'I'm going to burst your head open' and making comments about 'take my wife away from me, I'm going to take you away from yours'.

"The complainant defended the blow with his arms which resulted in a deep laceration to his right hand and some cuts and bruising to his left arm and hand.

"The defendant struck another blow at the vehicle and smashed another window."

The court heard the victim was taken to hospital and required surgery on his hand.

He said the damage to his car cost around £6,000 to repair and he estimates, together with the time he needed off work, that the attack cost him around £23,000, on top of the physical and psychological impact.

Mr Culley said Chatha had been "suspicious" about where his wife was and it was "no coincidence" he ended up in that car park at that time.

Mr Recorder Dapinder Singh KC sentenced Chatha, who has served seven months in custody on remand, to 18 months, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements.

The recorder said Chatha had a number of references to his ordinarily positive character, has never been in trouble before and is "highly unlikely" to be back in court again.

Matthew Bean, defending, said arrangements are in place for Chatha to live away from the family home after he is released.

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