Man banned from Iceland after bare-chested rage over ice lollies shopping trip

A man who sparked a major police incident after he walked bare-chested into a South Tyneside shop has been frozen out.
The incident happened at the Iceland store in Chichester Road, South Shields, last May.The incident happened at the Iceland store in Chichester Road, South Shields, last May.
The incident happened at the Iceland store in Chichester Road, South Shields, last May.

Roy Page, 53, of Dean Terrace, South Shields, has been banned by a judge from entering the Iceland Store on Chichester Road, South Shields, for the next 12 months.

It comes after he walked into the store to buy ice lollies on a hot day last May and - after being asked to put on a shirt or leave - he got into an argument with a member of staff.

Gateshead Magistrates' Court.Gateshead Magistrates' Court.
Gateshead Magistrates' Court.
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Gateshead Magistrates heard the police were called and Page then struggled with three officers when they tried to arrest him - with one deploying a CS gas spray.

Page admitted charges of common assault and resisting arrest.

He has now been made the subject of a community order for 12 months and ordered not to enter the store for the next 12 months.

He also has to take part in 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

Gateshead Magistrates' Court.Gateshead Magistrates' Court.
Gateshead Magistrates' Court.
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Page has also been ordered to pay compensation of £100 and court costs of £300.

For three offences of obstructing or restricting a police officer, he received the same community order.

He also committed the offences while a conditional discharge. That was revoked and replaced by the community order.

When Page entered his pleas at the initial hearing last month, he told magistrates: “I’m only pleading guilty because I’ve been told I’ve got to.”

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Mary Narey, prosecuting, had told the hearing that Page went into the store at about 7pm, wearing jeans but no shirt and was asked by a member of staff to either put a shirt on or leave to comply with the store’s hygiene policy.

She added: “When challenged by the staff he immediately became abusive and aggressive, claiming it was against his human rights, and added that nothing would have been said if he was wearing a Muslim hijab.”

The court heard he assaulted a shop assistant while being ushered out.

Ms Narey added: “He pushed his body weight against her, causing her to stumble backwards. The police were called and Page then struggled with three officers who tried to arrest him.

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“One deployed a CS gas spray and another pressed his alarm which led to more police arriving.

“When interviewed, he repeated his claim that he was within his human rights to walk into a shop with no shirt on.”

The court heard Page has 36 previous convictions and is in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for theft.

David Forrester, defending, said: “It had been a very hot day. Mr Page decided to call into Iceland to buy ice lollies and ended up spending 14 hours in South Shields police station.

“He threw no blows or caused any injury.”