Man jailed after trying to steal fried chicken from Broad Street stand
Dec 8 2009 by Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail
A MAN who tried to steal fried chicken from a fast food stand in Birmingham has been jailed for four years.
Dean Robert Fryer demanded free chicken at the Broad Street burrito bar after spending the night downing alcohol in the city centre.
When the cook refused, Fryer attacked him, punching him in the face and threatening to stab him unless he handed over chicken and the evenings takings.
But the chef fought back and sent him packing. The incident was caught on CCTV and Fryer, aged 26, from Ladywood, was identified from forensic evidence left at the scene.
He was convicted of attempted robbery at Birmingham Crown Court. Police today welcomed the sentence and said it was a timely reminder for people to behave in the city centre.
Det Insp Warren Hines, from Steelhouse Lane CID, said: “Mr Fryer has now got an opportunity to reflect on his conduct and I hope as a consequence of his prison sentence he will be a reformed character.
“The majority of people don’t drink to excess, the majority of people drink responsibly and enjoy themselves.
“But if people are coming into Birmingham city centre, drinking to excess and then committing crimes, they can expect to be dealt with very harshly by the criminal justice system.”
The incident happened when Fryer, a single dad-of-one, went to the rear of the fast food stand, based outside the Rocket Club, and demanded free chicken in early on July 21.
Det Con Trish Mooney said that despite the threat no knife was ever produced or seen.
“He had gone to the rear of the premises and asked for free chicken. When the member of staff refused, he has punched him in the face,” she said.
“It was quite a physical fight but because of that he has left a lot of forensic evidence at the scene. He later handed himself in as we were going to get him.”
Police chiefs, the city council and the bar bosses on Broad Street run the BSafe operation each weekend to help prevent booze-fuelled violence that has marred other cities in the UK.
