Gold Coast man Ryan Peter Abela faces Byron court after abusing Domino’s Pizza worker
A Byron Domino’s worker hid as a drunk Gold Coast business owner hurled verbal abuse, including homophobic slurs, because he believed the staffer spat in his food.
Police & Courts
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A Byron Bay Domino’s worker hid behind a counter as a drunk Gold Coast business owner hurled verbal abuse, including homophobic slurs, because he thought the staffer spat in his food.
There is no indication the employee did spit in Ryan Peter Abela’s food and rather he was scratching his nose, court documents state.
Abela, 30, faced Byron Bay Local Court on Monday pleading guilty to intimidation and damaging property in the early hours of New Year’s Day in the tourism hub.
The man from Coomera on the Gold Coast was kicked out of Woody’s Surf Shack on Jonson St “after a physical confrontation with security guards,” about 11:50pm on New Year’s Eve, according to the documents.
Abela, who owns Quick Robes in Queensland, was “immediately hostile and argumentative with police”, who gave him a move-on order.
“He was slurring his words, unsteady on his feet, his eyes were glassy and his breath smelt like alcohol,” police state.
Abela walked to Domino’s Pizza on Jonson St a short time later.
He was waiting for his pizza when the worker put a hand to his nose in the kitchen and continued making an order, the documents state.
Abela “believed the victim was spitting in people’s food”.
He became agitated and started screaming in the store.
“Come outside so I can bash you,” he said.
“That little f--king weasel isn’t f--king doing that.
“You can’t look me in the eyes and tell me he doesn’t do it, you little f--king weasel.
“Oi you f--king f--got. Come down here. Come down here so I can beat your f--king arse. You f--king f--got.”
Abela punched a poster and napkin holder off the counter and onto the floor.
The worker hid in the corner behind the counter with another employee.
“The store manager heard and saw the commotion and told Abela to leave multiple times,” the documents state.
Police arrived and spotted Abela yelling at the victim.
Abela was placed under arrest and taken to Byron Bay Police Station.
He told officers he had downed ten alcoholic drinks and was planning on spending the night at Falls Festival.
In court, Abela represented himself and said the facts put forward for police were skewed – though he did ultimately agree to those facts.
“As I read the report it was quite alarming and I can’t remember what I said, only that it was probably quite nasty,” he said.
“I had been drinking since lunchtime.”
The court heard Abela had been experiencing family difficulties at the time of offending and that he had also volunteered to host families impacted by the northern NSW floods at his home.
Magistrate Karen Stafford said Abela came before the court with multiple convictions for public nuisance offences in Queensland.
“The victim was someone making pizza at Domino’s and you accused him of spitting in your food,” she said.
“There was a significant level of intoxication. You called him a f--king f--got … he was so scared he was hiding behind the counter.”
Ms Stafford convicted Abela and fined him fined $1000.
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