A HUNGRY Welshpool man repeatedly swore at and insulted a Subway employee and said he would find out where she lived – because the shop had run out of the filling he wanted in his sandwich.

Martin Gallagher ordered a sandwich from Subway, at the Applegreen garage in Welshpool, on February 20 this year, but became irate when the girl serving him said there was not enough of the filling he wanted left in the shop.

Gallagher denied a charge of threatening behaviour when he first appeared before magistrates in April, but he was found guilty at trial in his absence last week – although he continued to protest his innocence as his sentence was handed down.

Welshpool Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday, July 27, that the 35-year-old – who is currently on remand at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham for a separate matter – did not attend because he had suffered an epileptic seizure on the eve of his trial.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said: “The defendant ordered a sandwich but was told there was insufficient quantity of the filling he wanted.

“He immediately became aggressive. Another employee saw the defendant with a female, he was shouting at her colleague behind the counter. She was concerned for her colleague as the defendant was aggressive and intimidating.

“The defendant would not listen, so the female said she was not serving him and walked away. The matter then escalated. He refused to listen so was asked to leave. The female he was with was filming the incident.

“The defendant also mentioned finding out where the female lived. She was crying and shaken. The incident left her stressed.

“A customer also witnessed the incident and said the defendant went behind the counter and got right in the woman’s face. Staff asked him to leave and called the police."

Ms Tench said Gallagher, of Leighton Arches, Welshpool, was found guilty at trial and ordered to pay £620 costs and compensation was asked for.

Speaking in his own defence via videolink from prison, Gallagher said: “I’ll have to appeal. What’s described is a load of lies.

“It was a couple of words over a sandwich, that’s true, but it’s nowhere near as bad as what’s been described.”

Chair of the bench, Rebecca Klug, said: “We take this offence very seriously. This was a significant disturbance, it was very upsetting to the people involved.

“We find it is a Category A offence and has crossed the custody threshold. You are looking at a possible prison sentence. We are going to ask for an all-options report.”

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until August 17 and said Gallagher would remain remanded in custody because he is already in prison on the other matter.