Drunken assault on takeaway staff

Sunday 10 November 2019

Guernsey's Magistrate has given a man 100-hours of community service after telling him he was completely unjustified in assaulting the owner of Santana's takeaway.

32-year-old Kaspars Strazdins went behind the counter of the takeaway, in Le Truchot, St Peter Port on 6 August, 2019, during a dispute over a phone charger with Jorge Ferreira De Andrade.

After following Mr Ferreira De Andrade into his workspace, Strazdins pushed and hit him, leaving him with bruises and suffering from discomfort.

The Magistrate's Court heard how Strazdins had no previous relevant convictions and had been in Guernsey since 2009, since when he has held previous jobs and currently works as a Kitchen Porter. 

Magistrate Graeme McKerrell said it was only Strazdins lack of previous convictions that stopped him going to prison.

He said; "nothing justifies your behaviour, how you reacted and the violence you used."

Judge McKerrell also said that; "assaults like this happen all too often, often over something trivial, and often involving alcohol."

He told Strazdins that "you went around the counter into the victim's workspace and aggressively pushed the victim.

"You could have walked away, but in your drunken state you didn't."

Strazdins was ordered to serve 100-hours of community service, as a direct alternative to six weeks in prison.

Pictured: Guernsey's court building.