Subway worker put lettuce in nose

The "prank" by Richard Benjamin Shannon, of Castle Street, emerged when police were called to the Brownhills High Street branch of Subway following reports that a furious female customer had hurled a chair at him. She had watched mobile phone footage of the 22-year-old sticking lettuce in his mouth and nose as his friend looked on.

He then blew the lettuce back out of his nose and spat it back out of his mouth into the container that staff take lettuce out of, to put into customers' sandwiches.

The woman explained the source of her anger to officers, who watched the scenes on the popular video website and promptly arrested the now-sacked employee.

Shannon said he regretted the joke, which was filmed by a friend but circulated locally before going on YouTube.com

He claimed he had thrown the lettuce in question away immediately after the prank.

Walsall magistrates warned him he could face time in jail after hearing him plead guilty to contaminating or interfering with goods with intent to cause economic loss and alarm, anxiety or injury to the public.

Prosecution solicitor Jason Corden-Bowen said: "Watching the video, it does appear to be staged rather than spontaneous."

Defence solicitor Sheila Hicklin said Shannon didn't intend to cause alarm.

Walsall Magistrates yesterday adjourned sentencing until March 11, but told Shannon they were not ruling out custody.

Subway spokeswoman Sally Lloyd said the firm was aware of the incident and had co-operated with police

"All Subway stores are independently owned and operated. All our franchisees take food safety extremely seriously and must strictly adhere to stringent food hygiene and health and safety standards. The chain instigated a thorough internal investigation."