'I’m cooking at home now': Man threatened restaurant staff with sledgehammer while 'hangry'

When Judge Fahy heard the details of the incident, she said: 'Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.'

It started when there was a mix-up between staff at the restaurant over the payment for the food. File photo: iStock

A ‘hangry’ tradesman returned to his favourite Indian restaurant in a rage wielding a sledgehammer after staff refused to hand over his takeaway meal until he paid for it - even though he told them he had already paid for it when he placed his order half an hour earlier.

The mix-up between staff at the Nokshi restaurant at An Fuaran, Moycullen, on April 16 last year over the payment for the food caused 60-year-old Michael Williams, from Corrach Buí, Rahoon, Galway, to lose his temper, take a sledgehammer from the back of his van parked outside and go back into the restaurant in a rage.

Mr Williams pleaded guilty before Galway District Court this week to putting staff in fear by entering the premises wielding the sledgehammer intended to intimidate them.

A second charge of breaching the peace, by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour on the same occasion was withdrawn by Sergeant Christy Browne, prosecuting, following the plea to the first charge.

Sgt Browne said that following a dispute over payment for a takeaway meal for two at 8.45pm, Mr Williams left the premises in a rage and returned moments later with a sledgehammer. “A sledgehammer? Over a bill in a restaurant?,” Judge Fahy asked incredulously.

She added:

Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. 

Sgt Browne said Williams’ van was stopped a short time later on the Spiddal Road by Garda Neil Waters and he admitted his guilt straight away.

Judge Fahy said she was dying to hear the rest of the story. She said it sounded ridiculous but it would not have been one bit funny for staff or customers in the restaurant that night.

Defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor, said Williams was a regular customer who ordered a takeaway half an hour earlier. He paid for it and due to Covid regulations, was told to return half an hour later to collect it.

When he returned, the manager insisted he had not paid and refused to give him the takeaway until he did so. Mr Traynor said her client completely overreacted. 

“He totally accepts what he did was so crazy. He held his hands up when Garda Waters stopped him," she said.

She added:

It’s mind-boggling, to say the least.

Judge Fahy asked Williams was he under the influence of an intoxicant at the time which might have led him to act the way he did.

He assured her he didn’t drink or take drugs but admitted he felt slighted and lost his temper when he was accused of not paying and when he saw his girlfriend getting very upset. “I guess you won’t be going to that restaurant again?” Judge Fahy asked.

“No, I’m cooking at home now,” Williams replied.

Ms Traynor said her client was not working at the moment but he did work in the trades in the construction industry.

The judge told Ms Traynor she would have to deal with the case on a custodial basis as while she felt Williams had no intention of using the sledgehammer, he did use it to frighten staff, which was something one could not do.

Garda Waters said staff and two customers who were there “were pretty shook up” on the night but he added Williams had put his hands up straight away when he stopped him and had not gone near the restaurant since.

Judge Fahy sentenced Williams to five months in prison which she suspended for two years on condition he be of good behaviour and remain away from the restaurant for the next two years.