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A drunk who threatened to throw his pet python at a chicken shop manager has been fined just £9 and given a community order.

Anthony Dando had walked into Dixy Chicken, on Newcastle’s West Road, to ask staff for a blanket to keep the snake warm.

But, when the takeaway’s manager, Hamza Naeen, refused, the 30-year-old became abusive and threatened to “smash his head in” and throw the reptile at him, a court was told.

While the rest of the staff hid at the back shop, Mr Naeen handed two pieces of chicken to Dando in the hope he would feed the snake, which was wrapped around his wrist, and leave.

However, brazen Dando ate both chicken strips himself and cheekily asked for a drink to wash it down with.

Magistrates heard he eventually left the shop after he heard Mr Naeen tell a colleague to call the police.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

Now, Dando, of Pease Avenue, Benwell, has been given an 18-month community order and fined £9 after pleading guilty to a public order offence by causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard Dando had bought the snake earlier in the day on November 9 but had been banned from taking it back to his mother’s house.

Instead, he’d gone to a nearby bookies, where customers “stroked the reptile and kept it warm”, before heading to Dixy Chicken.

Clare Iring, prosecuting, said: “Mr Naeen was on duty at about 4.45pm when the defendant enters the store and approaches the counter.

“The manager says: “I though he was going to order food but he said ‘can I have a warm blanket for my snake, it’s a cold-blooded animal’”.

“As he did, he noticed a large snake wrapped around the defendant’s wrist. The manager said he didn’t have a warm blanket and said he would have to leave. There was a male customer behind, clearly scared.”

The court heard Dando then shouted “Here, don’t talk to me like that, I will smash your head in and throw this snake at you”.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

The drunk lout then asked for some food for the python and Mr Naeen handed over two chicken strips, which Dando ate himself.

Ms Irving said Dando still refused to leave but eventually did so when he heard Mr Naeen shout to colleagues to phone the police.

Officers arrived and he was arrested a short time later coming out of a nearby shop.

In a statement, Mr Naeen said: “I have worked here for a number of years and have always felt safe until now.

“I will always be on edge. If this person can come in with a snake, then what else can happen? This is my dad’s shop, so I feel like it’s happened in my own home.

“I will probably have nightmares about it tonight.”

In police interview, Dando was asked if his behaviour could have caused harassment, alarm or distress. He responded: “I suppose I would have been scared if it was a tarantula or something.”

Adrian Ions, defending, said Dando had bought the snake earlier that day and hadn’t been allowed to take it home to his mother’s when he turned up on her doorstep drunk.

He said: “It’s effectively a single comment directed at one person. It all stems from a misunderstanding and a misguided reaction out of concern for the snake.”

Mr Ions added: “He’s been to a bookies earlier in the day where he is known. The snake is kept warm there. The customers there see it as a strange occurrence but they’re stroking the snake.

“He then goes over the road to the kebab shop as he wants a box to keep the snake in.”

Dando was also ordered to do six months of an Alcohol Treatment Requirement and 15 days of a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. He was banned from entering Dixy Chicken for 12 months and must pay £50 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.