Hot-tempered pastry-lover caused £700 of damage because Greggs steak bakes were cold

A hungry racist flew into a rage and caused £700 worth of damage at a branch of Greggs after being told the steak bakes were cold.

Hot-tempered Michael Mooney lost his cool when staff at the Westhill outlet told him the popular pastry snack was no longer warm.

The 31-year-old angrily ranted at staff about the temperature of the food, refusing to leave and even racially abusing one employee.

Mooney was eventually locked out of the shop but kicked and punched the door as terrified staff cowered inside, even smashing a glass panel.

Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 2.30pm while witnesses were working the accused entered the locus, approached the counter and requested a steak bake.

“An employee informed the accused the steak bakes had already cooled down.

“The accused replied ‘**** that’ before leaving.”

Staff tried to lock door as Mooney ran towards shop

However, Mooney returned shortly afterwards and asked “if everything was cold”.

When told this was the case he “quickly became aggressive” and began shouting and swearing at staff.

He was asked to leave but refused.

Despite attempts to calm him down, Mooney continued to shout and swear about the cold food – even going so far as squaring up to one of the employees and threatening to knock him out.

Eventually, Mooney was ushered out of the shop, and staff were so fearful they decided to lock the door.

Mooney was seen entering a nearby shop and so staff decided to unlock the door, but soon afterwards he was seen running towards them.

Mr Ambrose said: “One of the witnesses quickly moved to the door and tried to lock it, but the accused managed to get his arm into the door.”

Witness intervened when Mooney picked up sign

By now the commotion has attracted a crowd outside the shop.

Mooney continued to shout and swear and was heard to repeatedly use racial language.

At one point he picked up a wooden sign “as if to hit the door with it”, but one of the witnesses managed to stop him.

Instead, Mooney punched and kicked the door, causing a glass panel to smash.

Police were then contacted and Mooney was later traced and arrested.

The fiscal said the damage caused was valued at just over £700.

Accused has been drug-free for four months

Mooney pled guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, acting in a racially aggravated manner and vandalism over the incident, which happened on June 24.

Defence agent Stuart Beveridge said his client had no previous convictions in Scotland but did have a record in England.

He explained things had “deteriorated” for his client when he lost his job and “spiralled into drug misuse”.

Mr Beveridge said Mooney had been drug-free for four months now, but had been drunk at the time and had “little recollection” of the incident.

He added Mooney was taking steps to address his substance misuse issues.

Sheriff Ian Duguid ordered Mooney, of Westdyke Drive, Elrick, to be supervised for 12 months and to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.