Hereford takeaway could lose licence after brawl

A Hereford takeaway could lose its late-night food licence after staff got involved in a brawl with a customer.

Police were called to an “altercation” within Munchies in Commercial Road on the night of December 15 which spilled out onto the street, according to police licensing officer PC Dean Wall.

PC Wall said the pizza and chicken takeaway’s licence holder Ako Rasoul, his licensed doorman and other staff had ejected a man on the night after he refused to leave his drink outside.

Colleagues from neighbouring businesses got involved and “an affray” started, in which the unnamed man received multiple kicks to the head.

“The doorman has looked on and done nothing as the victim has been repeatedly beaten,” PC Wall’s report says, adding that police are currently investigating a possible offence of actual bodily harm.

In this, the licensed doorman, also unnamed in the report, “appeared to be in neglect of his duties” by failing to intervene, and indeed “fuelled the issues rather than prevented them”.

Mr Rasoul meanwhile “did very little to prevent any assault, leaving him to be further assaulted by associates”.

PC Wall said Mr Rasoul “also appeared to have misled officers on the night” by saying no fighting had occurred in the takeaway when CCTV showed otherwise, and listed several other ways in which Mr Rasoul had failed to meet conditions of his licence.

His report calls on Herefordshire Council’s licencing subcommittee to review the premises licence, which currently lets it serve hot food until 3.30am each night.

Comments on his application for this can meanwhile be made until February 2.

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