A ROOF-TOP protest which sealed off a Uttoxeter road and involved ttrained negotiators was sparked over a stolen McDonald’s takeaway.
Carl Groombridge, of Balance Street, could face jail after standing on his roof while drunk and throwing tiles at police after he stole £8 worth of fast-food.
He admitted the theft when he appeared at Burton Magistrates’ Court on Friday. He also pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour towards McDonald’s staff and resisting arrest.
To escape the drive-thru after stealing the bag of food, he jumped over a fence and broke other fences — causing £200 damages which he also admitted.
It was on June 28 at around 12.30am when Groombridge had an argument with McDonald’s staff about whether he should have a car to use the drive-thru. The disagreement resulted in a member of staff being pulled out of the kiosk with a bag of food.
When police arrived, the 23-year-old amateur boxer escaped over the fence. Damage to various fences was reported as Groombridge made his getaway and his description was matched with the takeaway incident.
The police visited his address in Balance Street at 1am when he climbed out of a window and on to the roof.
Alka Marston, prosecuting, said: “Police noticed he was slurring his words and emergency services were called as they thought he may fall off. Trained negotiators were also called in because he refused to come down and the road was sealed off.” He threw roof tiles at police officers who eventually decided to leave the area.
After refusing to hand himself in, Groombridge was found hidden in the loft of a flat and sprayed with CS gas after again refusing to cooperate.
The court also heard this was his third time on the roof and he had been remanded in custody as he was on court bail pending a trial for affray, drug possession and conspiracy to cause damage.
Shaun Oldham, defending, said: “For the theft, he did actually have the money to pay for the item.
“He did go on to the rood and there was a degree of a stand-off. His mother told police: ‘If you leave him he will come down.’ But officers decided to wait.
“After she had a word with the sergeant, the police left and he did come down.
“With CS gas there is already a degree of punishment there. He knows he was being ridiculous.” The case was adjourned for an all-options pre-sentence report to be completed by the probation service with a jail sentence a possibility.
