A FAST-FOOD customer must pay £150 compensation to the McDonald's employee he punched in the eye.

Alan Brown, 22, lashed out because cashier Alan Simpson gave him 95p change in 5p pieces, said prosecutor Jane Chadwick.

The employee explained to the customer that he was short of change and could not give him other coins without calling the manager.

But Brown got out of the car he was in and punched Mr Simpson, causing him pain and making his head "snap" backwards, said Mrs Chadwick.

Brown has previous convictions for violence and his solicitor, Jane Maloney, said he had been drinking before the attack. He accepted he had a drink problem.

Magistrates said that if Brown had not shown remorse, he would have been jailed for the attack.

Instead they ordered him to do a maximum combination order of 100 hours' community punishment, with two years' community rehabilitation, to tackle his drink and anger problems.

They also ordered him to pay £150 compensation for Mr Simpson, plus £55 prosecution costs, within seven days.

Brown, of Chestnut Drive, New Earswick, pleaded guilty to assault.

Mrs Chadwick said Brown was a back seat passenger in a white car that drew up at the McDonalds drive-through outlet at Clifton Moor on September 24 at about 8pm. The car also contained a small child in a child seat.

He bought some items at the cash till run by Mr Simpson and received £3.95 change, 95p of which was in 5p pieces.

"Are you having a laugh?" Brown asked Mr Simpson.

But when Mr Simpson explained the situation, Brown got out of the car and hit him.

Miss Maloney said Brown had been saving up to pay compensation to Mr Simpson since a previous court appearance. He was a conscientious worker and she handed in a letter from the employer he had worked for for five years.

Brown had had no intention of hitting the cashier when he got out of the car.

Updated: 11:05 Thursday, November 22, 2001