Dad is grilled for 22 hours and then charged with criminal damage to a beef burger
Stephen Morgan was handcuffed at his home and held for 22 hours at Swansea Central police station following a disagreement with a takeaway delivery driver. The 31- year-old was arrested for robbery but was charged with criminal damage and faces a court hearing next Monday, said his worried partner Michelle Owen.
"I think it's disgusting," she said. "Stephen is self-employed and has just set up a business."
The couple, who have two children, were having an evening in watching The X Factor at their Loughor home last Saturday with Miss Owen's sister and her family.
The group ordered a takeaway from Pepino's Pizza, Gorseinon, but claim the order was wrong when it arrived. Miss Owen said the delivery man was helpful and agreed to return with two beef burgers, but there was a delay.
Miss Owen said she then phoned Pepino's to request her money back for the burgers and claimed this was agreed. But a dispute arose when a different delivery man arrived soon afterwards.
Mr Morgan went to the door to tell the man they didn't want the burgers, and instead asked for £15 after what had happened.
Miss Owen said the man handed Mr Morgan the sum, who then kicked the burgers away. Later that night police came to the Culfor Road home and arrested Mr Morgan.
"They said there had been an accusation of robbery," said Miss Owen.
The following morning she, her sister and her partner gave statements to the police, hoping that would be an end to the matter. But it is now set to go to court.
Miss Owen said her partner emerged from Swansea Central at around 7pm on Sunday, charged with criminal damage to food with the value of £5.
Sinan Boyraz, who runs the Pepino's chain with his two brothers, was not aware of the incident, but said customers who received the wrong order got their money back, plus free food.
"We have a good reputation," he added. "Out of 2,000 people who eat here, 1,999 are happy."
Dervis Boyraz, the owner of the Pepino's in Gorseinon, said he disputed the family's account of what happened.
A police spokesman said: "Police were called to an incident on October 10 at Culfor Road, where a 31-year-old was arrested and subsequently charged with criminal damage, and will appear at a later date at Swansea Magistrates Court."
