Nowra: Matthew Thomas charged with common assault after violent Macca’s run

A south coast father has been thrown before a court, after a missing food dispute at McDonald’s ended with him throwing a Happy Meal at a worker’s head.

Matthew Thomas pleaded guilty in Nowra Court to throwing a box at a McDonald's worker.

A Nowra father’s Macca’s run has turned violent, throwing a Happy Meal at a young worker’s head during a dispute over missing food.

Matthew Thomas, 44, faced Nowra Local Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to common assault.

Police documents tendered to the court reveal the extent of the assault, which saw the father-of-seven arguing with a young worker, before throwing a Happy Meal box at their head.

Agreed facts state on the afternoon of March 15, Thomas attended the South Nowra McDonald’s to complain to workers about food missing from an order he made days prior.

Sitting in his car in the drive thru, Thomas began to argue with the young worker, requesting the missing food be replaced.

Matthew Thomas leaving Nowra Local Court.

However, when the employee mentioned he needed to provide proof, he became enraged and “reached to his passenger seat”.

“(Thomas) grabbed a Happy Meal box and threw it toward the victim’s face,” agreed facts reveal.

The worker stepped back and raised her hand to protect her face, with the box hitting her hand before falling onto the drive thru roadway. Thomas was asked to leave immediately before police were called.

The following day, officers viewed CCTV footage of the altercation before visiting Thomas at his Nowra home nine days later, charging him with common assault and issuing him a court attendance notice.

In Nowra Local Court on Tuesday, Thomas’ lawyer, Hannah Dreher said her client was “particularly embarrassed” with the assault.

“He has seven kids to care for and this is very out of character,” she said.

Matthew Thomas appeared in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday.

“He has also been attending the ‘Men’s Shed’ group, which has been helping him with mental health issues.”

The court heard Thomas was also a bartender at ‘The Archer Hotel’ in Nowra, with Ms Dreher mentioning he knew the outcome of assaulting workers.

“He doesn’t have an extensive record at all,” she said.

Magistrate Lisa Viney disagreed with the claim Thomas had little criminal record, noting he rather had a “violent history”.

“This was an unprovoked attack on someone just trying to do their job,” she said. “There was no excuse for an attack like this.

“Workers who are just doing their job are entitled to feel safe and not be attacked by people like you.”

Ms Viney convicted Thomas and sentenced him to a 12-month community correction order, ordering him to continue attending the ‘Mens Shed’ group to help him with his mental issues.