A MAN spat towards an Ellesmere Port supermarket manager who accused him of shoplifting, a court heard.

Kevin Anthony Moore, 50, denied aiming the saliva at Matthew Mosedale’s face at the Aldi store on Wellington Road but accepted some may have landed on his clothing.

He pleaded guilty to assault on this basis and was sentenced to a 12-month community order at Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday (May 23).

Moore, who has 48 previous convictions for 100 offences, was also ordered to pay the victim £75 in compensation.

Rob Youds, prosecuting, said the defendant had become embroiled in a “disagreement” with assistant manager Mr Mosedale at the supermarket on January 15 this year.

The manager was said to be aware of Moore, who had previously been banned from the store.

“The defendant accepts he spat towards the complainant,” Mr Youds said. “But he denies any hit his face. He spat downwards but accepts some may have landed on clothing.”

Stephen Ferns, defending, said that Moore had no idea he was banned from the supermarket, which is located near his home on Whitby Road.

“He says he has never been told about this,” the solicitor said. “He has never committed any thefts or anything like that in this shop.

“On the day in question he was confronted by the assistant manager who appeared to be suggesting that Mr Moore had been shoplifting at that time. He accepts he then became irate.”

Mr Ferns said his client had moved from Chester to Ellesmere Port in May last year to get away from family and friends who were a bad influence on him.

Since then he has “turned his life around” and made a fresh start.

As part of his community order, Moore must undertake 20 days of rehabilitation activity and abide by a daily 7pm to 7am curfew for three months.

He was also ordered to pay £100 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge, all of which will be deducted from his £209-per-month Universal Credit payments.

Moore was fined £20 for breaching a previous suspended sentence order as well.