Craig Williams reveals fallout after Tylah Shorter’s pizza shop attack in Caloundra
A Sunshine Coast pizza shop owner has opened up on the “bizarre” attack he suffered at the hands of a teen TikTok star and how the ugly confrontation affected his young staff, prompting one to quit.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Caloundra pizza boss has revealed the aftermath of a violent incident at his business where a teenager attacked him in a feral rage over an order.
Tylah Ann Shorter was placed on an 18-month probation order and must complete 150 hours’ community service after she admitted to her violent assault on Craig Williams, 60, while he was doing his job on February 3.
Mr Williams said the 19-year-old’s attack, which left his team of young workers “rattled” and resulted in one staff member quitting, was an anomaly in the usually safe Caloundra neighbourhood.
Shorter pleaded guilty to serious assault against a person over 60 and committing a public nuisance in Caloundra Magistrates Court this week, where the court heard Shorter threw a “haymaker style” punch to Mr Williams’ face.
Mr Williams spoke to this publication about how the incident unfolded, where he was originally called from his other business about 8.30pm due to “two girls causing trouble”.
“Basically they said they ordered online but when they came in to pick the pizza up, they changed their story saying they rang up,” Mr Williams said.
“We checked online, checked their phone number and they had done neither.”
The 60-year-old pizza boss said the girls became “very agitated” and “started screaming” at his staff, who were teenagers and young adults, some working in their first jobs.
He said the manager tried to calm them down but they weren’t seeing reason. Mr Williams was called for assistance.
Mr Williams arrived where he tried to remedy the situation by giving Shorter and her friend a pizza free of charge.
As staff were making them, he said the pair “escalated” their behaviour “to another level”.
He said they were yelling and swearing at staff, one who was a 14-year-old female employee working her first job. Mr Williams said she had since left the business.
The pizza boss said he tried to calm the situation but after he gave them the pizza they became more aggressive.
Mr Williams said the 19-year-old, who has about 39,500 followers on her TikTok profile, kept stepping towards him aggressively.
He tried to close the door on them for safety reasons when Shorter “lashed” out and threw the wild punch to his face.
The strike forced his glasses off which broke on the floor. Luckily police arrived shortly after this.
“They (the staff) were all quite rattled, the store manager was only 19 at the time and he did a pretty good job,” Mr Williams said.
“It got beyond him and he didn’t know what to do, but I was five minutes down the road.”
Mr Williams said he only experienced one violent incident like this once before at the pizza shop in 2018 where a drunk woman caused a disturbance.
He said his staff were a bit “taken back” by the confrontational behaviour of Shorter and her friend.
The 60-year-old said he checked in on all of them following the violent incident who were all okay. He said he was also fine after being struck.
“It certainly wasn’t a very nice incident,” he said.
“Like most shops you just want people to respect the staff, they’re there to do a job.
“It’s not like we didn’t try to fix the situation as well, but this was different.
“Really bizarre.”
Defence lawyer Matthew Cooper told the court this week his client wrote letters of apology and completed an alcohol and anger management program prior to her sentencing.
He said the teenager was intoxicated during the offence and had been suffering through personal issues at the time.
Acting magistrate Raelene Ellis said the pizza shop staff have a right to feel safe in their place of employment.
“They did not deserve the way you treated them,” she said.
Shorter must also pay $180 to compensate for the broken glasses and $250 in restitution.
Convictions were not recorded.
Sobbing dad used drug operation to pay off debt, support family
A dad who sold drugs out of his home to 30 people claims he was trying to keep his business afloat as he reached for tissues in court when the judge delivered his sentence.
‘Looking suspicious’: Meth dealing trawlerman burgles two homes
A trawlerman, labourer and drug dealer has faced court after burgling two people’s homes and making off with items ranging from Apple watches to rolls of carpet.