Thug threatened South Tyneside petrol station worker 'I'll smash your face in' after being refused entry

Danny Murphy, 41, was known to a staff member at the Euro garage in York Avenue, Jarrow, from a previous incident.

When he turned up at 9pm on Tuesday, January 7, after boozing, steps were taken to bar him from entering, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

Prosecutor Jeff Taylor told the court that Murphy said to the assistant: “I’ll smash your face in, I’ll come back and smash your face in.”

Murphy then went to nearby Torquay Parade where he caused a rumpus by banging on a house door - and then verbally abused police called by garage staff.

He was given a 12-month community order with a requirement to carry out 20 rehabilitation days with the Probation Service when he appeared in court to admit two charges of threatening behaviour.

However, Murphy was warned by magistrates he faced being in contempt of court after he stood before them and insisted he would not comply with the order.

He told them: “I’ll come back. I’ve had it all before. It’s a joke. Stitched right up.”

Mr Taylor told the court a worker was at the Euro garage, adding: “He knows Mr Murphy, having barred him in the past. He sees him coming and decides to block the door.”

Adrian Ions, defending, said: “Mr Murphy is very disappointed with himself, he’s ashamed and apologises to everybody through me.

“In the past, he’s got into trouble, but he’d been offence free for about one year and four months. One reason why he’s been out of trouble is that he’s cut down on alcohol.

“It was the funeral of a close friend, he’s had a drink at the wake, he’s not drinking to excess. He’s gone to get some provisions from the local store which is the garage.

“There seems to have been some bad feeling in the past.”

Murphy, of Bamburgh Walk, Gosforth, Newcastle, must also pay a £90 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.