Mum and son convicted after Christmas Eve abuse at Broughton Tesco

Dr Alexei Sondergurg-Glucksburg, of Ffordd Y Rhos in Treuddyn, was due to appear at Mold Magistrates Court for trial on Monday alongside his 80-year-old mother, Glenys Bowen Jones.

Sondergurg-Glucksburg, 47, had denied using threatening or abusive behaviour against two people and one count of assault.

His mother, of Sarn Lane in Caergwrle, had initially denied one count of assault by beating - but on the morning of the trial, she pleaded guilty on a basis.

The basis, that only the initial part of her actions on the day constituted assault, was tested by way of a 'Newton Hearing' (finding of fact) and despite Sondergurg-Glucksburg not attending, the trial went ahead in his absence.

Tom Mcloughlin, prosecuting, told the court that in the early hours of Christmas Eve last year, both defendants entered Tesco at Broughton Shopping Park.

As depicted on CCTV, they pushed their trolley to a till and unloaded their items onto the belt, and when it came to Sondergurg-Glucksburg, there was an issue with his card.

He left to try getting money from a cash machine and returned a short while later, before proceeding to throw items from the trolley back into the packing area.

In a tirade of abuse, he called cashier Deidre Grundy a "f****** a*******" and accused her and her colleagues of racism.

As he and his mother were leaving, they were spoken to by security officer Jonathan Bellis.

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Sondergurg-Glucksburg once again became abusive, demeaning the officer and claiming to be a retired police officer - threatening to arrest him.

After he was ushered out of the store, staff noticed he left a bank card on the till and Mr Bellis went to return it to him in the car park.

But when Sondergurg-Glucksburg failed to confirm the name on the card, an argument broke out near the defendant's car in which he grabbed Mr Bellis and tried to snatch the card away.

At this point, Bowen Jones got out of the vehicle and pushed Mr Bellis. That was the part of the offence she accepted.

Dr Alexei Sondergurg-Glucksburg. Image: Newsquest (Image: Staff)

She did not however accept what she is apparently seen to do on CCTV next; stamping on his foot, scratching his face, kicking and punching him.

Bowen Jones claimed her actions were in self-defence as she was concerned for the safety of her son.

The incident came to an end after Mr Bellis held Sondergurg-Glucksburg against his car until colleagues arrived.

Ms Grundy attended to give evidence in person, telling the court Sondergurg-Glucksburg's outburst at the till was threatening.

"He seemed unstable and I felt unsafe," she told the court.

"I pressed the security button because he went from zero to 100 very quickly.

"I was shocked. You don't expect that at any time, let alone on Christmas Eve."

The court also heard from Christopher Bellis, who was a checkout supervisor on the night.

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He said he recognised Sondergurg-Glucksburg when he came in, as he'd entered the store a few years ago and had an "accident."

Christopher Bellis gave him first aid and noticed he had been carrying a doctor's bag, as well as a prison worker's ID badge.

He alerted management and till staff to the fact Sondergurg-Glucksburg had been banned by a previous manager, but a decision was made to allow him to shop and leave without confrontation.

The court saw phone footage of a discussion between security officer John Bellis and Sondergurg-Glucksburg, in which the defendant told him: "You're paid a pittance, you have nothing.

"You're a bigot and you'll always be working in a dead-end job."

Giving evidence to the court, John Bellis said despite having endured abuse regularly as part of his job, the comments made him question his life choices and left him feeling worthless.

He told the court he used only enough force as was necessary against Sondergurg-Glucksburg in the car park, and didn't use any force at all against his mother given her age.

Bowen Jones told the court she only acted in the way she did because she wanted to stop the security guard from harming her son.

But it was pointed out to her in CCTV excerpts that her son had been the aggressor, and she'd involved herself in the car park incident before there had even been any physical contact.

Alex Mackenzie, defending Bowen Jones, told the court: "She fully accepts she has no defence for her initial actions but once the incident moves to the car she is raising self defence.

"This was a mother concerned for her son - it may be the case that she's an 80-year-old who found the situation overwhelming."

The Magistrates found Sondergurg-Glucksburg guilty on all three charges and found his mother guilty on the Crown's version of events, not her basis.

Bowen Jones was ordered to pay £200 court costs and £200 in compensation to Jonathan Bellis.

The court heard a warrant had been issued prior to the hearing for Sondergurg-Glucksburg's attendance.

As he didn't attend and was convicted in his absence, the warrant remains, and he will be produced by police at court for his sentence at a future date.