Exeter Tesco bans bread roll man

By [jwalls]

SUPERMARKET giant Tesco handed a letter to a customer stating he was banned from every store in the country after he took a bite from a bread roll before paying for it.

David Bowes, 31, said he was treated “like a terrorist” in Exeter city centre’s Tesco Metro when he argued with a security guard who told him to stop eating before he paid for his food. He admits he became abusive when the guards grabbed him but says he was thrown to the ground and pinned face down while police were called.

Tesco stands by its actions and claims he became aggressive to staff when challenged.

Mr Bowes said he was waiting in the queue for the self-service checkout when he was confronted by a security guard and told to stop eating.

He told the Echo: “The security guard said, ‘Dont do that or someone is going to shout at you’.

“I took another bite while I was paying for it and I was two steps away from the door when two security guards told me I was banned.

“I never raised my voice and I never swore but I said, ‘You can’t be serious’.”

He said one of the security guards then grabbed him and he shrugged his hand off his arm.

There was a further commotion and Mr Bowes, from Stoke Hill, Exeter, became abusive to the guards before he claims he was pushed to the ground so hard that he landed on his knees. He was then pinned down on the floor with his arms behind his back and his face pressed against the floor, he said. “I was treated like a terrorist for biting a granary roll,” he said. “I don’t have a criminal record and they treated me like I was a criminal.”

He said the guards then picked him up and took him to the back of the store and the police were called. He wasn’t fined or arrested.

“They (Tesco staff) gave me the letter just before they escorted me off the premises. I couldn’t believe it. In big print it says I am banned from every store in the UK.”

Tesco, which claims the incident took place before Mr Bowes reached the checkout, said the letter was misleading and that the customer would only be banned from the Exeter High Street branch and not every store in the country.

But a spokesman added: “The welfare of staff and customers is our highest priority.

“This man was banned for consuming goods there was no attempt to pay for and highly aggressive behaviour which we simply cannot tolerate.”

A police spokeswoman confirmed they attended the store at around 2.30pm on Thursday, June 18.

She said: “We were called to reports of a man causing a disturbance. The problem must have been resolved.

“He was not arrested and no further action was taken.”