A man assaulted a father and child in a restaurant before shouting homophobic abuse at a gay couple he saw in the street, a court heard.
Lawrence Doran, 20, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 7 December, where he admitted two counts of assault and two counts of using threatening or abusive words.
Prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the defendant, of Weald Street, in Bampton near Faringdon, threw milkshake at a family in Kaspa’s dessert house in Swindon town centre.
The unprovoked attack came after drunk Doran and three friends had been shouting and swearing in the establishment on the evening of 5 September.
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A cup of milkshake was thrown at the family, striking the booth they were sitting in before the contents hit a father and his young child.
Staff called the police following the incident, but the males swiftly left the restaurant.
However, a short time later, Doran shouted homophobic verbal abuse at a married gay couple who were walking down the street nearby.
He shouted “you take it up the sh**ter, you love it”, before calling them “batty boys” – comments which understandably left them distressed and upset.
In a victim impact statement, they said the incident caused them to feel “violated” and “made us feel ashamed of who we are”.
Following his arrest, Doran told officers in interview he had been drinking since the afternoon and has consumed lager and whiskies.
When questioned about this comments to the the gay couple, he claimed he was joking.
Defending, Emma Hillier, asked magistrates to adjourn the case for a pre-sentence report to be compiled. Adding that Doran is a full-time carer for his mother.
He was released on unconditional bail and will return for sentencing in January 2022.
