Elderly man fined after assaulting woman in supermarket dispute over access to carrots

A supermarket shopper was assaulted in the aisles by a pensioner, because she wanted carrots. Sunderland Magistrates’ Court heard that Raymond Newton, 71, blocked Pamela Mann from getting to the vegetables in Morrisons supermarket at Doxford Park, and when she reached to pick some up he attacked her, pushing her in the chest and hitting her around the head. Ms Mann told the court that Newton, who lives in Sunderland, seemed to be watching her and deliberately blocking where she was going. She said: “I was heading to the carrots and I know it sounds trivial, but the gentleman went in front of me and blocked the area.



“I said ‘Excuse me could I just get in to get some carrots please?’ and the man said ‘No, you can’t, I’m getting carrots’. He said ‘You are not getting in front of me, no one is getting in front of me’. It was very odd. His behaviour was bizarre.” Ms Mann said she reached across without any contact with the pensioner at all and picked up some carrots only for Newton to push her in the chest and then hit her around both sides of her head, which she likened to “boxing her ears”. She added: “I was just stunned. I couldn’t believe this had happened to me in the supermarket over carrots. My right ear was ringing and I staggered backwards.”

Ms Mann said the last thing she wanted was to have any confrontation with anybody. Newton, who walks with two sticks after a hip replacement, denied the version of events of the incident, which happened in December last year, and told the court it was Ms Mann who had pushed him. He said: “She said she wanted access to the carrots, I said I was looking at them. She hip-thrusted me. I staggered, it was a good job I had the trolley so I could steady myself.” Newton claimed it was then he pushed Ms Mann three times in the forehead, saying it was in self-defence. He said: “I thought she may have some kind of missile because I realise ladies carry a lot of merchandise in their bags. Something which could hurt me further. I was very, very worried for my own personal safety.”



Iain Jordan, defending, said Newton had no previous convictions or cautions and was of good character and that he pushed Ms Mann on impulse. However, magistrates accepted Ms Mann’s version of events, saying she was a credible witness who was consistent with her evidence, and found Newton guilty of common assault and ordered him to pay Ms Mann £150 in compensation. He was also fined £60, plus a £20 surcharge, and ordered to pay £600 court costs. Following the hearing Ms Mann said: “I was pleased with the verdict. I only did this because I wanted to prevent it happening to anyone else. It is surreal that all this happened because of carrots. It sounds so trivial, but it has been very upsetting. It’s dragged on for a long time and I am just pleased it is over.”