A man who flew into a rage after his McDonald’s delivery did not turn up has been tagged for 10 months.
Robert Walker, 52, went on a verbal tirade towards delivery driver Omer Masood in Glasgow’s Govan on June 8 2023. Walker had earlier placed an order for a burger, chips as well as a McFlurry on the Deliveroo app and it had not arrived after 45 minutes.
The driver later contacted Walker stating that he did not know where he lived and drove away. However, Mr Masood was tailed by Walker in his car who blocked the path of his victim’s vehicle at a set of traffic lights.
Walker approached Mr Masood’s car to “shout, swear and utter threats of violence” at him. Terrified Mr Masood had to reverse away from Walker – who has a previous conviction for violence – to flee from him.
Walker was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner. Sheriff Tony Kelly today put Walker under supervision for two years as well as the tag which will run from 7pm to 7am.
The sheriff said: “This was reprehensible conduct on your part and your behaviour towards the police officers was disgraceful. The court is justified in sending you to prison but I think the public interest is best served with an alternative to custody.”
The trial heard that Walker – who has a number of health conditions and uses crutches – placed an order in the early hours of the morning.
He stated in his evidence that the Deliveroo order was for a burger, chips and a McFlurry. Walker stated that he waited between 30 to 45 minutes after placing the order for it to arrive.
He told jurors that he received a phone call from Mr Masood saying “Where are you?” Walker claimed he replied: “You need to tell me where you are to help you.”
Walker stated that Mr Masood then hung up on him. He said that he was able to locate Mr Masood’s car around the corner from his home from a map on the Deliveroo app.
Walker claimed he left his home to “try and find him” and noticed Mr Masood’s car. He said: “It got to the point I had to move to take evasive action as the car was coming close to me with the way he was driving – I moved back on the pavement.”
Walker claimed that he had his car keys and “jumped in” to his Volvo XC90 vehicle. He stated that he then saw Mr Masood’s car at a set of traffic lights.
Eddie Robertson, defending, put it to his client: “You seemed to park in front of the person.” Walker replied: “Yes, I wasn’t doing it in an aggressive manner, I was trying to stop to speak to him – it was to make him understand.”
Walker stated he then approached Mr Masood’s car and spoke to him through the open driver’s window. He said: “I was holding the phone and he put the window down another couple inches.
“At this point the phone was where the window was and he grabbed my wrist and I said ‘why are you grabbing me?’
Walker claimed that Mr Masood reversed and he had to move back with the car.
Prosecutor Redmond Harris later put it to Walker that he “pursued” Mr Masood in his car and that he prevented him from moving away due to the positioning of his own vehicle which he denied.
The fiscal depute also suggested that Mr Masood was “scared” of Walker and that’s why he reversed from him.
Mr Harris also questioned Walker on why he did not complain later on to Deliveroo about Mr Masood.
He replied: “What would it do to make me feel better?” The hearing was told that Walker went back home and “15 to 20” police officers as well as two police dogs were later at his front door.
Mr Harris put to Walker that he “shouted and swore” at them which he denied stating that he “conversed” with them. Walker added that he was also “sarcastic” towards the officers who later arrested and took him into custody.
It was revealed after the verdict that Walker was subject to a community payback order at the time of the offences.
Mr Roberton told the sentencing that his client maintains that he behaved in a “reasonable manner.”
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