Want the top news headlines sent to your inbox daily? Sign up to our FREE newsletter below Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A lout who threatened to use his pet python as a weapon has been banned from a Newcastle chicken shop.

Anthony Dando, 30, of Pease Avenue, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to harassment after he threatened staff at Dixy Chicken in Newcastle with a python.

James Long, prosecuting, described the events of November 9 last year as “a rather curious incident”.

The court heard the shop manager, Hamza Naeen, who is also a student at Newcastle University, was at work when the defendant entered Dixy Chicken on West Road at around 4.45pm.

Mr Long said: “At first he thought the defendant was coming into the take-away to buy some food but instead he asked for a warm blanket for his snake, ‘It’s a cold blooded animal’ he told him.

“At this point the shopkeeper noticed the defendant had a large snake wrapped around his wrist.

“He tells him he doesn’t have a blanket and asks him to leave as he can see a customer looking scared because a man has just walked into a take-away restaurant with a python wrapped around his wrist.”

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

The court was told Dando shouted “here don’t talk to me like that, I will smash your head in and throw this snake at you” as he was asked to leave.

Mr Long said: “The witness was clearly frightened, he had never seen a snake before in his life and didn’t know what would happen if the snake was thrown at him. He was worried what would happen.”

The chicken shop manager handed two pieces of chicken free-of-charge over the counter in the hope that Dando would feed the snake and leave, the court heard.

However, while still wearing the python, Dando ate both chicken strips himself and asked for a drink to wash it down with.

He eventually left the shop after he heard a manager tell a colleague to call the police.

Defending Adrian Ions said that Dando had made a “stupid” comment.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

He told the court: “He is a man who has kept spiders, insects and reptiles all of his life. He said this was a small python. It was a stupid comment he was never going to carry out that threat, it was his pet.”

He explained that Dando had drunk two cans of lager before going into Reptile House in Heaton with the intention to buy a spider.

After chatting with staff at the shop he decided to buy a snake and after dropping the equipment he bought back at home got a taxi to West Road. Mr Ions said: “There he got more drink and went to the bookies to put on bets and show people his snake.

“He said people were being dramatic and running away from the snake.”

Mr Ions blamed the incident at Dixy Chicken on a misunderstanding and said Dando was merely asking for a box to put the animal in.

The case was adjourned for sentencing until February 28. Dando was released on bail under the condition he is not to visit Dixy Chicken on West Road.