Man who headbutted a dinner lady 'will appeal his conviction'

Italian pot washer who headbutted a dinner lady on Armistice Day after she told him to be quiet during two-minute silence will appeal his conviction, court hears

• Mario Dellafazia, 54, was found guilty of headbutting Natasha Jones in 2021 
• The Italian is now appealing against his conviction of assault by beating 

An Italian pot washer who headbutted a school dinner lady on Armistice Day after she told him to be quiet during the two-minute silence is appealing against his conviction, a court heard.

Mario Dellafazia, 54, assaulted catering assistant Natasha Jones after a row erupted at Teddington School, Middlesex, on Armistice Day in 2021.

The pair, who had worked together for four years, were eating in the canteen on November 11 when Mr Dellafazia continued to chat to colleagues after the two-minute silence was announced.

Ms Jones said she gestured at her colleague to stop talking and Dellafazia asked her: ‘What’s your f***ing problem?’

Dellafazia jumped to his feet and approached Ms Jones at the other end of the table to headbutt her.

Mario Dellafazia, 54, denied assaulting Ms Jones but was found guilty of headbutting her at Wimbledon Magistrate’s Court

Catering assistant Natasha Jones told her colleague to stop talking during a two-minute silence before he assaulted her 

Ms Jones was left with a bruise on her forehead and had to take four weeks off work, the court heard.

Dellafazia, assisted by an Italian interpreter, denied headbutting Ms Jones and insisted there was no contact.

He said he had not understood the announcement for the two-minute silence.

Harriet James, prosecuting, told Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court: ‘Both the defendant and the victim were kitchen staff at Teddington school at the time of the offence.

‘The incident took place at the school on 11 November 2021 following a dispute during the two-minute Armistice silence.

‘The victim states that the defendant and another staff member were talking during the silence.

‘She held her finger to her lips to tell them to shush.

‘After the two minutes were finished, she told the defendant he could talk again.

‘He got out of his seat and said: ”What’s your problem?” and called her stupid.

Dellafazia was dismissed from his job in the kitchens at Teddington School (pictured) following the incident 

‘An argument ensued and the victim states the defendant was pretending to headbutt her, throwing his head back to make a headbutting motion.

‘He moved away and she said: ‘Who the f*** are you trying to headbutt?’ She states he didn’t even sit back down before he approached her again and actually headbutted her.

‘She says he didn’t use full force but he made contact with his forehead on her nose. It did hurt and it was red.

‘As soon as it happened she left and spoke to her HR manager and left the workplace.

‘He is of good character prior to the commission of this offence. We say there was an intention to cause fear of serious harm. Headbutting is said to be a weapon equivalent.’

In a victim statement read to the court Ms Jones said: ‘I suffered a lot of depression and was off work for over four weeks.

‘I suffered really bad anxiety and found it difficult to communicate with men after the incident.

‘I suffered loss of sleep as the incident played over and over in my head and I had to take up therapy.

‘I also left my company after six years of working for them because of the stress this has put me through.’

Indicating an intention to appeal his conviction, Charles Worthington, for Dellafazia, said: ‘Mr Dellafazia intends to appeal and doesn’t admit that he committed the offence, so there is a limit and what I can say.

‘The lead suggestion is that there was a head push rather than a headbutt. It is my understanding that there was also no visible injury.

‘There was a heated exchange between the two parties. Ms Jones was verbally abusive towards him. The dispute was about a two-minute silence for Armistice Day.

‘The tannoy was in English and he did not understand it. He was sat down with a colleague and the colleague also did not understand the announcement.

‘He was talking to his colleague, whispering at the time, but he did not understand the significance of the event.

‘Had he realised he would not have been talking and Ms Jones did not tell him about the reason for the silence until after it had finished.

‘He gave up a good job in Italy to come to the UK to support his partner and has worked constantly in the UK since then to support them both, but struggles due to his limited English.

‘He has only in the last three months during the daytime as a kitchen porter.

‘He is very worried on the effects of further publicity on his job and there is a reporter here today. Already there has been a serious impact on him.’

Dellafazia, of Twickenham, denied but was convicted of assault by beating after a trial last month.

Sentencing him to a 12-month community order and 60 hours unpaid work, bench chair Samantha Lamplough said: ‘We note that Mr Dellafazia has no previous convictions and that he went to trial but was found guilty.

‘This was a work situation with colleagues the victim was clearly upset and we have heard her victim impact statement but after the close contact there was no significant physical injury to her.

‘We are sentencing to a community order of 12 months in which there will be unpaid work of 60 hours.

‘That means that in your own time and as directed by the unpaid work supervisors you will have to make yourself available to complete 60 hours of work in the community.

‘We have considered whether Mr Dellafazio should pay compensation to the victim but we make no order for compensation in this case because it is not appropriate given the history.’

The total cost of the trial came to £775 with an additional £95 court surcharge.

Dellafazia confirmed he will pay the £870 – £775 costs and £95 surcharge – within 28 days.

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