Man convicted for racial abuse of pharmacist

Man convicted for racial abuse of pharmacist

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bigTee

Original Poster:

5,546 posts

228 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
I did a search, couldn't find it and too layed up to give a st if it's a repost!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1083695...

Story,

A MAN has been convicted of racially abusing a Muslim pharmacist who refused to sell him the morning after pill on “ethical” grounds.

Chris Mellett, 29, and Kaye Walsh, 36, had gone to Sainburys pharmacy in Ashton late on a Sunday afternoon to buy the pill after their usual form of contraception failed on Friday night.

When pharmacist Mohammed Parvez told the couple he could not sell them the pill, Mellett, formerly of Shelley Grove, Droylsden launched a torrent of racial insults, Tameside magistrates heard.

Prosecuting, Thomas McCabe said: “The defendant shouted: ‘United Kingdom, Great Britain, not for people like you!’

“He was red-faced and angry and shouted: ‘Shut your ******* mouth you black ******* you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mellett then complained to duty manager David Lawrence telling him: ‘If I was in his country I would kneel on a mat and bow East. In this country he should obey our rules.‘

The store arranged for a pharmacy in Denton to stay open an extra five minutes, but the couple, who had Ms Walsh’s children — Philip, 17, and Sophie, five — in tow insisted there wasn’t enough time to get there.

The next day the couple contacted the Advertiser and even wrote to the prime minister to register their disgust. The story gained widespread attention.

Mellett, a former recruitment consultant, was arrested 12 days later after Mr Parvez made a complaint to police.

He denied the charge, claiming Mr Parvez had “fabricated” the allegations to seek “revenge” for him going to the newspapers.

He told magistrates: “I went to the press because it was a bugbear, it really got under my skin. I was in sheer disbelief. It was on the shelf behind him but he couldn’t sell it. I told him he was there to provide a duty of care.

“If you had to employ a fireman, you wouldn’t employ one that didn’t put out fires. If I did swear, it wasn’t directed at anyone. I just muttered under my breath.

“I was calm. I don’t have outbursts. I was surrounded my members of the public and had a small child with me.”

Mr McCabe said: “You’re using the five-year-old as an excuse. CCTV footage showed she wasn’t always there. In truth, that was your big moment to vent your spleen. You wanted to have your big sound off.”

Mellett said: “So I’ve racially insulted someone, gone to customer services and given all my personal details and then got the press involved, I’m sorry no.”

Mitigating, Paul Lamb said: “No complaint was made until 12 days later — after significant publicity — although each of the witnesses could have done so in that time.

“At best, the incident has been taken out of context or at worst completely fabricated.”

Tameside magistrates found Mellett guilty of racially aggravated harrassment. He was fined £175 with £160 costs.




Should be struck off imo.


TIGA84

5,292 posts

238 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
So a pharmaceutical doctor doesnt sell them a cure because his faith doesnt agree with it, and he works in this country where it is accepted?

I shall restrain from any comments that might put me in a bad light, but I'd have bounced that s head off the desk and simply taken them for myself.

How on earth ha he gained this position in the UK, surely he must have lied at some point?

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

224 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
I would say they're both as bad as each other.

Corpulent Tosser

5,468 posts

252 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
How do you strike off an ignorant racist ? confused

scotal

8,751 posts

286 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
bigTee said:
Mellett then complained to duty manager David Lawrence
Why didnt this guy simply give them the pill?

Corpulent Tosser

5,468 posts

252 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
scotal said:
bigTee said:
Mellett then complained to duty manager David Lawrence
Why didnt this guy simply give them the pill?
Equally why did Mellet not complain to the duty manager instead of spouting racist comments.

Neil_H

15,347 posts

258 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Ridiculous, if he has ethical issues with selling people medication he should not be in that business.

voyds9

8,489 posts

290 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
scotal said:
bigTee said:
Mellett then complained to duty manager David Lawrence
Why didnt this guy simply give them the pill?
Has to be under pharmacists supervision, which he wasn't giving.

I do think that if he is unable to give medication then he should rethink his career choice.

MrVelox

2,974 posts

194 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Neil_H said:
Ridiculous, if he has ethical issues with selling people medication he should not be in that business.
yes

But now he should be all set to sue for a nice wedge.

Eric Mc

122,843 posts

272 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Many Christians would refuse to sell such a product on similar grounds. The initial decision by the pharmacist not to sell was purely down to religious beliefs and nothing to do with race.
The tirade launched by the customer was ALL to do with race and that is why he was prosecuted.

How would he have reacted if the person refusing to sell him the product was a white British Christian?

teapea

693 posts

193 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
what an idiot, you cant work somewhere and refuse to sell their goods,

if i was sainsburys id fire his arse straight away, baffles me what this country is coming too.

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

224 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
BOOM!

Apparantly.

May or may not be actually true.

HFLagos

435 posts

219 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Many Christians would refuse to sell such a product on similar grounds. The initial decision by the pharmacist not to sell was purely down to religious beliefs and nothing to do with race.
The tirade launched by the customer was ALL to do with race and that is why he was prosecuted.

How would he have reacted if the person refusing to sell him the product was a white British Christian?
yes

This is correct. I have checked with my friend (pharmacist) who has confirmed that this is a common issue. Quite a few times she has had to end up selling the pill because her fellow pharmacist would refuse to - and these fellow pharmacists were from all sorts of racial/religious backgrounds.

But dont let facts get in the way eh OP.....

mouk786

1,263 posts

204 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
[redacted]

HFLagos

435 posts

219 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Wrong, see my post above

largerandrock

652 posts

211 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
I would of went to the Meat counter and got loads of bacon and started to throw it at him till he gave me the Pill The stupid self rightous prick

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

224 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
largerandrock said:
I would of went to the Meat counter and got loads of bacon and started to throw it at him till he gave me the Pill The stupid self rightous prick
That would have made you look so clever. Give yourself a pat on the back.

largerandrock

652 posts

211 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
10 Pence Short said:
largerandrock said:
I would of went to the Meat counter and got loads of bacon and started to throw it at him till he gave me the Pill The stupid self rightous prick
That would have made you look so clever. Give yourself a pat on the back.[/quote


Thank youbowtie

Colonial

13,553 posts

212 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
There's a number of white christian chemists in Australia who refuse to sell condoms, let alone the morning after pill. I've had that issue before. Another chemist comes along, I don't go off my nut and the transaction is done.

If he was reasonable and didn't spout his mouth off he probably would have been served and problem solved. But he decided to be the hard man instead.

A professional does not have to do something they do not believe is ethical. For the same reason my company will not work on any adult industry development. A client wanting that simply goes elsewhere.

Alfa_75_Steve

7,489 posts

207 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
As a former retail manager, I have to say that I'd have taken the pharmacist to one side and politely explained that, should he continue to refuse to sell said pill to the customer, I'd be suspending him pending further investigation.

I'd have no issue firing someone like that.