A DRUNKEN couple who trashed a kebab shop and caused more than £1,000 worth of damage because the chicken they wanted was not available have been spared jail.
Magistrates described the incident as a 'vicious and unprovoked attack'.
A court heard after 9pm on April 23, Lauren Marie Cooper, aged 26, and Jimmy Joe Stanley, aged 29, entered Coppers on South Street in Wareham.
READ MORE: Couple trashed Dorset kebab shop in chicken row
Wanting fried chicken, the pair were told by staff there wasn't any. The row appeared to suddenly escalate, and Cooper of Trinity Lane, Wareham and Stanley of Sandy Lane, Upton, Poole began to argue with an employee.
CCTV footage was shown to Weymouth Magistrates' Court, which showed Cooper and Stanley leaving the shop, before Stanley got angry and shouted at the members of staff.
At first Cooper appears to be trying to hold Stanley back but then also becomes aggressive towards the staff behind the counter.
The situation appears to then quickly escalate as the couple start aggressively throwing things at the staff.
Cooper knocked down drinks on display before leaving the shop to pick up a table from outside which she also threw over the counter.
Meanwhile, Stanley lifted the serving hatch and made his way behind the counter to continue arguing with employees.
Prosecuting, Andrew Newman, read out a statement from the kebab shop owner Mr Temel, who said it started when Cooper wanted fried chicken. He said she became aggressive and started swearing before going outside, picking up a chair and throwing it at the window, causing it to smash. He said both continued to throw cans of drink at staff and that Stanley was demanding the owner come out from behind the counter.
Mr Temel said that he had to duck several times and was hit in the head.
Representing Cooper, Des Reynolds, said: "Watching the CCTV it is quite shocking, and that feeling is shared by Miss Cooper."
"She is shocked to the core by the way she behaved."
Mr Reynolds said this was very out of character for Cooper.
Mitigating for Stanley, Kevin Hill, said his client was "heavily intoxicated" which "brought out what was clearly a nasty temper."
Mr Hill said Stanley had expressed his remorse.
Cooper admitted causing over £1,000 in damage and affray, and Stanley pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault by beating and affray.
Chairman of the bench Robert Ford told the defendants: "What we saw was a quite vicious and unprovoked attack. This was on people who were just doing their jobs. They did not expect to need to protect themselves from the sort of attack we saw.
"It is not right and it is not an excuse that you were drunk."
Stanley was given a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and a community order. He must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. He must pay £200 compensation for the assault charge and £570.86 for the damage charges.
Cooper was given a 15-week custodial sentence suspended for 18 months and must do 100 hours of unpaid work. She was ordered to pay £1,000 for the damage caused.
Both were also ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge and costs of £85.
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