Birmingham knifeman’s Toby Carvery rampage after 7am vodka binge saw punters flee

Chad Pulisciano went into a booze-fuelled rampage in Birmingham, terrorising shop assistants and pub staff and making threats to kill – he was later found hiding in a tree

A booze-fuelled yob went on a ‘rampage’ at a Toby Carvery terrifying staff and forcing the eatery to lock down. Chad Pulisciano rocked up at the restaurant on Stratford Road, Hall Green a ‘bit p*****’ and attacked two female workers.

He ran off but swiped a knife from a neighbouring chippy and came back, threatening to slash the manager with it. Officers arrested him as he cowered in a tree. Earlier that day, Pulisciano had also wreaked havoc at a Londis shop, hurling items at staff and causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage, reports Birmingham Live.

He admitted he had begun downing vodka at 7am that day and couldn’t recall much else. The 33-year-old, from Bristol Road, Selly Oak, was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court earlier this week.

He admitted robbery, theft, threatening another with an offensive weapon, having a bladed article in public, assault and criminal damage. The incidents occurred on June 19 last year.

Pulisciano entered the Londis on Shirley Road at 1.20pm and ‘looked to be agitated’, prosecutor Laura Coton said. She told the court he quickly became ‘aggressive’ and began smashing things.

He then began throwing items, including tins, at shop staff who heard him declare ‘I’m going to kill someone’. Pulisciano fled clutching several drinks he hadn’t paid for.

He had wrecked a lottery display stand, a coffee machine and several packs of Pepsi. About an hour later, he turned up at the Toby Carvery and struck up a conversation with a female member of staff behind the bar.

Ms Coton said: “He said he was due to have a party and he would like a drink and cigarettes. He was told they didn’t sell them. He was slurring his words and struggling to speak. He said ‘sorry I’m a bit p*****’.”

Pulisciano left but came back and barged past employees to steal a bottle of rum from the fridge. Two female staff members attempted to stop him, but he raised the bottle above his head and threatened to hit them with it.

Both were left terrified for their wellbeing, the court heard. Pulisciano carried on his violent spree by leavingg and taking a knife from a neighbouring chip shop.

He returned to the Toby Carvery for a third time and lunged the blade at the manager who told him he wasn’t welcome inside. The manager backed away and instructed customers to get indoors before securing the doors to keep Pulisciano outside.

The defendant then turned his focus to members of the public outdoors who ran out in panic.

He then launched another assault on the Toby Carvery and hammered on the glass with the knife but failed to break in. Police found him hiding in a tree close by.

Pulisciano had racked up more than 40 previous offences, including violence, robbery, weapon and driving crimes, the court heard.

Joshua Radcliffe, defending, stated: “This was a man on a rampage. Clearly he was not thinking and clearly he caused distress. That was not his purpose. His purpose was to obtain the rum.”

The barrister added that Pulisciano felt ‘ashamed’ and regretted his actions. Mr Radcliffe informed the court that the defendant struggled with mental health and substance abuse issues.

He stated: “On the day in question his life spiralled out of control. He’s ashamed of that. He was drinking vodka at 7am and has no recollection of that day.

“Since that day he has put his time in custody to good use.”

Judge Samantha Crabb, delivering the sentence, told him: “I accept your issues pertaining to mental health but quite clearly the driving factor behind this was not your mental health, rather intoxication and the drink you had consumed.”