Drunken dressing gown man slapped woman during chip shop bust up in Bo'ness

As if the damage to the counter and the slap to the woman’s face were not bad enough, Neil Walker, 34, then turned up at the chip shop several months later, annoyed he had received a date to attend court regarding the offence he had committed.

He later told police he had little recollection of events and had just wanted to talk to staff about his court case.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Walker had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and damaging property offences he committed at Corvi Restaurant, Seaview Place, Bo’ness, on February 11 last year. He also admitted threatening behaviour at the same location on October 28, 2022.

Danielle MacDonald, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The witness received a phone call from the accused, who was placing an order and asking for it to be delivered to his home address. He was told they did not deliver and asked to come and collect it

“Ten minutes later he arrived at the shop dressed in a dressing gown and pyjamas. He then began shouting within the shop, swearing and being verbally abusive towards other customers.”

Walker then demanded his food before punching a plastic counter in the premises, causing it to crack and fall to the floor.

As he was being escorted towards the door, Walker turned and slapped a female member of staff to the face.

A number of months later and Walker was back at the popular fish and chip shop once again, after he had received notice of his pending court case.

"He appeared to be aggressive on his approach,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “He entered the shop and immediately started shouting and swearing in respect of receiving court papers, saying ‘I never did anything’.

"The witnesses closed the door and he continued shouting and swearing outside. He later told police ‘I know I shouldn’t have gone over there, but I just got the letter and wanted to talk about the court case.”

Defence solicitor Stephen Biggam said Walker had an alcohol problem and did not have much recollection of the initial incident.

Sheriff Craig Harris said: “This happened to people who were providing a service to the public and you went in there an caused them a great deal of alarm – causing damage and slapping someone in the face.”

He placed Walker, 29 Waggon Road, Bo’ness, om a supervised community payback order for 12 months and a restriction of liberty order, meaning he must remain in his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 70 days.

He also made him subject to a non-harassment order to stay away from Corvis for two years and ordered him to pay £60 compensation for the damage he caused to the shop and £200 compensation to the woman he slapped.