Wine drinker smashed Caffe Nero coffee shop window

A wine drinker with a knife in his pocket caused £2,000 of damage to a high street coffee shop in South Tyneside when he reached boiling point in a spat with another man, a court heard.
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Michael Fox, 43, of Australia Grove, Brockley Whins, smashed a reinforced window at Caffé Nero in King Street, South Shields, by hitting it with a wine bottle thrown in anger.

Minutes earlier he had been asked to vacate the outlet’s outside seating area for drinking booze against licencing laws, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

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Fox then got into a dispute with another man and responded to twice having a chair thrown at him by tossing the bottle in retaliation on Friday, February 7.

Caffe Nero, King Street, South ShieldsCaffe Nero, King Street, South Shields
Caffe Nero, King Street, South Shields

He missed his target – and instead struck the glass which shattered, costing between £2,000 and £3,000 to replace.

Prosecutor Glenda Beck said police arrived and Fox was found with a knife in a pocket.

She added: “The manager of Caffé Nero opened the shop at 7am and nothing was damaged.

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“Later the same morning she dialled 999 and was aware of an argument on the street and the window was shattered.

“The item that damaged the window was a wine bottle and the person who had thrown it was Mr Fox.

“He had been asked to leave the area minutes earlier because he was drinking wine, which was not allowed.

“The police arrived and he was arrested for being drunk. When officers searched him a blade was found in his tracksuit pocket.”

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Michelle Stonley, defending, said: “Mr Fox had been doing work at home for his mother and was fixing a carpet which was why he had the knife in his pocket. He forgot it was in his pocket.

“He was minding his own business and was at Caffé Nero and was asked to leave by one of the employees. There was no fuss.

“Very shortly after she notices another man in the vicinity. CCTV shows this male and Mr Fox arguing. The male then throws a chair at Mr Fox twice. Mr Fox threw the bottle towards the man which hits the window.”

The case against Fox, who admitted criminal damage and possession of a blade in public, was adjourned for reports to March 30 at the same court.