A CAFE owner ordered to do unpaid work for attacking staff at a neighbouring city centre shop has dropped his appeal.
Rebaz Tahir left Gregg Kitson and Julie Bennett, owners of Hopmarket Flowers, bloodied after he attacked them in their shop.
Tahir, who owns the Black & White café next to Mr Kitson and Ms Bennett's business in The Foregate, was convicted of two counts of assault by beating after a trial at Worcester Magistrates Court.
He was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work as part of a one-year community order, and ordered to pay £150 compensation to both victims.
In a hearing last November Judge James Burbidge KC asked the 44-year-old, of Helford Close, Worcester, directly if he wanted to appeal.
Tahir replied "Yes" adding "I'm innocent".
The appeal was scheduled to take place earlier this year at Worcester Crown Court but the hearing did not go ahead.
Court staff have now confirmed the appeal was dropped by the defence before the hearing.
At Tahir's sentence prosecutor Melanie Winterflood told magistrates Mr Kitson and Ms Bennett had complained about the smell of Tahir staff's cigarettes drifting into their shop on October 2, 2021.
The prosecutor said initially there had been no altercation but later that day Tahir had burst through the door shouting at the pair.
“Mr Tahir assaulted Ms Bennett, punched her to the back of her head and left cheek – this causing bruising,” Miss Winterflood said.
“He then grabbed Mr Kitson, punched him a number of times to the face.”
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Sentencing him Harry Turner, chairman of the magistrates bench, said: “We believe these offences are so serious a community order would be the appropriate sentence.”
Mr Saqib, defending at the original hearing, said Tahir still did not accept what happened on the day.
“He accepts he had been convicted, he accepts the punishment he is going to get and will abide by any direction of the court," the solicitor said at the time.
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