‘Basil Balti’ in curryhouse row

A restaurateur has been dubbed 'Basil Balti' after shouting and swearing at two diners and locking them in his Indian restauran in a row over a bill. In scenes straight out of a Fawlty Towers sketch, Sheikh Ullah yelled, 'You are f***ing rubbish' at the pair.

The 55-year-old also waved his arms and yelled 'You make me sick' at the couple after they refused to pay their full bill, a court was told. The incident happened after Deborah Follett became upset when she witnessed a fellow customer gash her head in the restaurant's toilet, the court heard.

Mrs Follett, 40, who was with husband Mike, 41, called for an ambulance and decided to leave. Ieuan Bennett, for the prosecution, said: 'Because Mrs Follett hadn't eaten her main course, they decided to pay £30 for the food they had been given. The full bill was £47.



'Ullah told them they should pay for the entirety of their food, whether they had eaten it or not. He became frustrated, lost his temper and was abusive to Mrs Follett, shouting, “You are f***ing rubbish”. He was waving his arms around and being abusive.' Mr Bennett added the restaurateur also shouted, 'You make me sick' and, 'B*****ds, you're all the same'.

He claimed Ullah locked the doors of his premises and refused to let the Folletts leave. The couple later complained to police.

Ullah, of Newport, Gwent, whose restaurant is in the town, admitted using threatening words with intent to cause alarm or distress in December 2006. He was given an absolute discharge but ordered to pay £95 costs by Newport Crown Court.