“Psychotic” customer bit security guard after being refused a hamster

A “psychotic” Pets at Home customer has been handed a two-year community order after punching and biting both a security guard and the police.

Omar Kalik, 25, became irate when a member of staff refused to sell him a hamster at Pets at Home in Beaumont Leys Shopping Centre, reports the Leicester Mercury.

He then was involved in a struggle with security where both crashed through a glass door, with the guard suffering a cut to his hand, which Kalik then bit.

When police arrived, one officer was spat at, and after being taken to a police station Kalik punched two policemen, bit one on the leg and kicked another in the face.

Prosecutor Lynsey Knott told Leicester Crown Court Kalik: “The defendant became aggressive and security was called.

“The defendant was asked to leave and he replied, ‘I’m a boxer – if you touch me I’ll knock you out’.”

Two security officers tried to escort him to the door, but he struggled and they all ended up wrestling on the floor.

Kalik escaped and made a run for the door but a third security guard, who had just arrived, chased and rugby tackled him – crashing through the glass and suffering a deep cut to his hand.

The guard was then punched by Kalik and bitten on the hand, close to where the cut was.

Judge Nicholas Dean sentenced Kalik to a two-year community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation.

He said Kalik had been “psychotic” at the time of the incidents and noted that Kalik had already served more than five-and-a-half months in prison.

He said: “It seems to me that as he committed these offences while mentally ill there can be no question of an immediate custodial sentence.”

He told Kalik: “You are a man of good character and it seems the mental illness you had was the only explanation for the way you behaved.

“I hope that if you become unwell again you will recognise the signs of that illness and seek help.

“You can represent a threat of harm to others when you’re unwell.”

Pets at Home declined to comment.