A verbal spat between two hungry customers queuing up at a fast-food drive-through outlet on Sunday landed one of them in court on Wednesday.

It all began when Melvin Debono, a 30-year-old Paola resident, hooted at the driver of the car just in front of his own in the queue outside a McDonald’s drive-through eatery.

The other man called out that he too was waiting to be served.

A verbal exchange followed. 

But words soon escalated into violence when Debono grabbed the other driver’s keys, flung them in his direction and then banged his fist forcefully on the bonnet of the other driver’s Nissan March model. 

“I’ll shoot you and turn you into a corpse,” Debono allegedly told the other driver.

A police report was filed and Debono was charged with wilfully damaging the other driver’s car and glasses, racking up €448.40 and €204 in damages respectively.

He was also charged with insulting and threatening the other driver and his passenger, using foul words in public, breaching five bail decrees and relapsing. 

After consulting his lawyers, the accused registered an admission.

The court was also informed that the other driver was also expected to face charges.

After hearing submissions on punishment, the court, presided over by magistrate Leonard Caruana, placed the accused under a two-year probation order as well as a restraining order. 

The court also ordered the accused to pay a fine of €1,000.

Inspector Roxanne Tabone prosecuted.  Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.