BASIL BALTI IS CHARGED

The owner of a Newport tandoori restaurant has appeared in court on charges of causing alarm and distress after swearing at his customers, a tirade which earned him the nickname "Basil Balti". Sheikh Mohammed Tahir Ullah, 55, lost his temper with two diners when they disputed their bill, and began waving his arms in the air and shouting at the top of his voice. The incident occurred at the Koh-i-noor restaurant in Maindee.


Newport Crown Court heard that in the outburst, he locked the couple in his restaurant and declared: "You make me sick. You b******s – you're all the same. You are f****** rubbish." The incident at the Koh-i-Noor was described in court when Ullah admitted using threatening words with intent to cause alarm or distress.

An argument started after a customer, Kay McCarthy, fell in the lavatory and cut her head. Fellow diners Mike Follett, 41, and his wife Deborah, 40, were upset at the way the restaurant staff handled the incident and felt more could have been done to help Miss McCarthy. The Court was told that Mr Follett, a businessman, asked Ullah to call an ambulance and record the incident in an accident log book.


Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett said: "Ullah was rather dismissive and wanted the injured woman ushered out of his restaurant."The couple called an ambulance and decided to leave. Because Mrs Follett hadn't eaten her main course they decided to pay £30 for the food they had been given. The full bill was £47. llah became frustrated, lost his temper and became abusive to Mrs Follett shouting: 'You are f***ing rubbish'.He was waving his arms around and being abusive." Ullah locked the doors of his restaurant and refused to let them out. Ullah, who left Bangladesh in 1968, admitted using threatening words with intent to cause alarm or distress at his restaurant in December 2006. Andrew Jones, defending, said: "The remarks were out of character and Ullah regretted losing his temper." He told the court Ullah has received a good citizenship award from the Mayor of Newport and has established a mosque in the City at a disused Christian church.Ullah, of Cedar Road, Newport, was given an absolute discharge but was ordered to pay £95 prosecution costs.

According to the Daily Telegraph one customer said later: "This man has a reputation for being as fiery as some of his curries. He has been nicknamed Basil Balti after John Cleese - but not everyone sees the funny side. It can be upsetting when you get shouted at when you are out enjoying a meal with friends and family. Let's just hope this will calm him down now."