‘Snarling’ café owner is fined £150 and banned from flower shop after he ‘pounded and pummelled a florist like a wild animal’ and punched another in the face in row over smoking

• Businessman Rebaz Tahir attacked Gregg Kitson and Julie Bennett in Worcester
• They complained the smell of his staff’s cigarettes were drifting into their shop
• Mr Kitson, who suffered stroke two weeks before, was left bloodied and bruised

A ‘snarling’ café owner has been fined and banned from a flower shop after he battered two florists in a row over smoking.

Businessman Rebaz Tahir, 44, attacked Gregg Kitson and Julie Bennett who run Hopmarket Flowers in Worcester after they complained the smell of his staff’s cigarettes were drifting into their shop.

Tahir, who owns the Black & White café next door, punched the couple several times leaving them with cuts and bruises on October 2 last year.

Ms Bennett, 55, told a court Tahir was ‘snarling’ when he attacked Mr Kitson by ‘pounding him and pummelling him’ like a ‘wild animal’.

Cancer survivor Ms Bennett was also punched in the face as the pair desperately tried to force Tahir to leave their shop.

Mr Kitson, 67, who had suffered a stroke just two weeks before the attack, was left bloodied and bruised and needed hospital treatment.

He said doctors told him the attack had slowed down his recovery from his stroke and their business was closed for four weeks.

Tahir was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating after a trial at Worcester Magistrates Court and was ordered to pay £150 compensation to both victims, costs of £775 and a victim surcharge of £95.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and banned from entering the flower shop for 12 months.

Rebaz Tahir (pictured) was fined and banned from entering a flower shop after he battered two florists in a row over smoking

Gregg Kitson, 67, who had suffered a stroke just two weeks before the attack, was left bloodied and bruised and needed hospital treatment

Melanie Winterflood, prosecuting, said: ‘Initially there had been no altercation but later that day Tahir had burst through the door shouting at the pair.

‘Mr Tahir assaulted Ms Bennett, punched her to the back of her head and left cheek – this causing bruising.

‘He then grabbed Mr Kitson, punched him a number of times to the face.’

Ms Bennett, who has three children, said she and Mr Kitson had been left traumatised by the ordeal.

She said: ‘Normally when people smoke, they go over the other side of the yard but it was raining and they were right outside the backdoor.

‘But we could smell it all day so Gregg asked them to move. Rebaz was out within 30 seconds.

‘He flew at Gregg like a wild animal. He was pounding him and pummelling him.

‘We had a friend in the shop who got in between Gregg and him and started to walk Rebaz towards the backdoor.

‘But as he came past me he punched me in the face and then hit me in the back of my head.

‘We had to hold the back door, two of us were, to stop him from coming back in. He started to smacking the back door when we locked it.

‘A lady who lives nearby was woken up by the commotion. His staff were screaming ‘No Rebaz, no!’

‘He was like a wild animal out of control, I have never been so frightened and I am a cancer survivor. I survived breast cancer but he floored me.

‘The phone call to 999 was absolutely harrowing. The prosecutor said that not even the greatest actress in the world could not act that.

‘Two weeks prior to that, Gregg had a mini stroke and had double vision. He couldn’t see.

‘He couldn’t even make a cup of tea or cross the road on his own. Rebaz tried to claim self-defence. He should’ve pleaded guilty and saved us seven months of grief.’

Tahir owns the Black & White café, which sits next door to Hopmarket Flowers in Worcester

A sign detailing the locations of the Black and White cafe & Hopmarket Flowers on The Foregate, Worcester

Mr Kitson added: ‘We’ve had seven months of this waiting, and it’s been very traumatic. Especially on Julie, she has nightmares.

‘It was a disgusting attack that day. He was like a wild animal, he came in snarling, I shall never forget it.

‘I’ve always believed that truth and justice are companions, and it’s proved it is.

‘We’re happy with the verdict, assault by beating. My only concern is any further repercussions from him.

‘Rebaz came bursting at the back door, swearing and asked us if we spoke to his staff, to which I said ‘yes’.

‘I was sat in the shop and he lunged at me and started hitting me until blood began pouring from my face.’

Harry Turner, chairman of the magistrates bench, said: ‘We believe these offences are so serious a community order would be the appropriate sentence.

‘If you enter Hopmarket Flowers in the next year there will be serious consequences.’

Mr Saqib, defending, said: ‘He accepts he had been convicted, he accepts the punishment he is going to get and will abide by any direction of the court.’

Speaking from his cafe, Rebaz said: ‘There are two sides to every story.’

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