Aldi shopper said 'f*** off' and drove off with manager clinging to car bonnet

A pensioner's shopping trip to his local Aldi ended in the store's manager clinging to the bonnet of his car as he sped away. Thomas Blundell told the employee to "f*** off" after being accused of shoplifting, then deliberately drove into him and through a red light.

The worker was left "fearing that his wife would lose her husband and his young son would lose his father" as a result of the "terrifying ordeal". Despite being labelled "arrogant" by Liverpool's top judge, the driver dodged an immediate jail sentence with the warning: "It all could have ended so much more seriously."

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that Blundell had visited the Aldi on Queens Drive around 1pm on December 13 last year, slipping an item into his then-partner's bag. The 67-year-old from Ince Avenue in Anfield insisted he later returned the item to the shelf after realising it wasn't paid for, before heading to Marks and Spencer nearby.

Prosecutor Henry Riding said how Aldi staff noticed the incident, leading manager John Worrall to spot Blundell on CCTV. This prompted Worrall to confront Blundell at his grey Volkswagen amidst traffic, as he attempted to exit onto the Jolly Miller Junction.

Mr Worrall, an Aldi employee, bravely stood in front of the vehicle to prevent the suspected thief from escaping. He was met with a foul-mouthed response and was struck by the car, causing him to "stumble back a couple of paces".

Despite his victim's pleas for him to stop, Blundell continued to drive forward, hitting Mr Worrall a second time and propelling him onto the bonnet, Liverpool Echo reports.

Clutching onto the car to avoid falling, Blundell then navigated his way around traffic, ran a red light and exited the car park onto Queens Drive. After weaving through other vehicles on the dual carriageway, he finally came to a halt approximately 260 metres away on Mill Bank.

Mr Worrall once again positioned himself in front of Blundell's car as he tried to make another getaway before his Aldi colleagues rushed to his aid. Blundell claimed he was headbutted during this part of the incident, but an off-duty police officer at the scene saw no such assault.

Blundell was accused of attempting to hit the complainant. In his plea, he claimed he didn't realise his victim was an Aldi staff member, despite Mr Worrall wearing his uniform.

Mr Worrall, who suffered a fractured wrist requiring hospitalisation, conveyed through a statement read in court: "At the time of the incident, I was performing my duties as store manager. What followed was a terrifying ordeal which has left a lasting mark on my life.

"I was in fear for my life. My greatest fear was that my wife would lose her husband and my young son would lose his father. The idea of them having to live without me due to someone else's criminal actions was an unbearable thought."

Blundell, limping to the dock with the support of a crutch, boasts a clean record with no convictions since 1993. Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, informed the court: "He is remorseful for his actions. He accepts that he simply panicked when this incident unfolded in the car park of Aldi.

"He lives on his own and only has himself to look after. He does not have any dependants. The prospect of rehabilitation seems to be good, given his last offence dates back to 1993. It is suggested that it may be more beneficial for him to receive a suspended sentence rather than burdening the custodial system, where he would only be of trouble to staff."

Pleading guilty to one charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, Blundell received a 22-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months, alongside rehabilitation activities of up to 20 days.

The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC condemned the reckless actions of a driver in court, stating: "Not surprisingly and quite properly, security staff came to speak to you because of your behaviour in the store. He was forced to jump onto the bonnet of your car and hang on while you quite deliberately drove through the car park and left. You drove through red lights into the road and only stopped some way down the road.

"It all could have ended so much more seriously for him. You quite deliberately driving in that way caused a very serious risk to him. He could have suffered very serious injury indeed.

"Quite why you decided to drive in the way that you did is hard to understand. Maybe it was panic, maybe you were confused, maybe you had behaved badly and were trying to avoid the consequences. I simply do no know, but your attitude on that day was arrogant, and there are elements of that even now.

"You suggest in some way that he headbutted you. There is no evidence of that at all. On the contrary. The staff members were seemingly patient towards you when you had come to a stop. I am not altogether persuaded that you are sorry for what happened, rather concerned about the consequences for yourself."

The judge stated: "Had the circumstances been different and had you driven more furiously, you would have gone to prison today. You have not been in trouble with the police for a long time, and your own health concerns mean that I can suspend the operation of your sentence. You need to understand that driving in this way quite deliberately, putting someone else at risk, will typically result in a prison sentence."

The court also mandated that Blundell pay £1,000 to Mr Worrall as compensation and face a driving ban of two years, with the stipulation to undertake an extended driving test to regain his licence.