Shop manager pelted by beer cans

A SUPERMARKET manager was pelted with beer cans in a drunken attack by two women, a court heard.

South-East Suffolk Magistrates Court heard 34-year-old mother-of-seven Marie Brill and Genine McManus, 32, caused chaos at the Co-op in Bramford Lane, Ipswich, on June 14.

Brill and McManus, both of Kingston Road, Ipswich, admitted criminal damage to stock at the Co-op, totalling about £50.

Patricia Doggitt, prosecuting, told magistrates Brill and McManus were confronted by the manager when he saw them acting suspiciously in one of the supermarket aisles.

The pair responded by becoming extremely abusive and then threw a stool at the man.

Miss Doggitt said Brill and McManus then moved towards the alcohol section where they began throwing cans of beer at the manager and hurling others at the floor.

The pair were arrested on July 10. Miss Doggitt said in interview with police, McManus admitted she was drunk and in a bad mood and accepted she was guilty, although she had a limited memory of events.

Brill exercised her right to silence.

Tanya Thomas, defending Brill, told the court all her seven children were in foster care.

She said her client suffered from mental problems which led her to drink excessively at times – she had been drinking cider on the day of the incident.

Miss Thomas admitted drinking was not an excuse and said Brill had tried to reduce her drinking since the Co-op incident.

She also said Brill had been back to the store since the incident and had apologised to the manager.

Neil Saunders, for McManus, said most of his clients problems were shared with Brill – she also had children in care and suffered with alcohol and mental problems.

The women were given a conditional discharge for six months and ordered to pay £25 compensation and £25 costs each.