Bellucis restaurant in Wakefield faces claims it helped assault suspect escape West Yorkshire Police

Belluccis, on Northgate in Wakefield, could be stripped of its alcohol licence over the claims, which have been made by the police.

Officers said they tried to enter the restaurant on Saturday, February 5 this year, after being told of an alleged attack on the premises.

They claimed that when they went in "numerous members of staff" obstructed them before revealing the suspect they were looking for had left through a side door.

CCTV footage later showed what police believed to be staff helping the suspect flee, while the restaurant's co-owner was described as being "argumentative and unco-operative" during a follow-up visit from the authorities.

Belluccis has said it strongly disputes the police's version of events.

A licensing hearing next month will decide what action, if any, is taken against the restaurant.

Detailing the incident in papers published on Wakefield Council's website, police licensing officer Toby Warden said: "On February 5, 2022, police were called to the premises after a report of an assault.

"After speaking with the victim of the assault, officers attempted to enter the premises with a view to search for the suspect who was still believed to be present at the venue.

"The officers entered the restaurant where they were obstructed by numerous members of staff employed at the premises. They were then told that the suspect was no longer on the premises and had left through a side door."

PC Warden said that Belluccis then "continued to hinder" police officers from viewing CCTV footage.

When it was finally shown, officers saw "what they believed to be staff assisting the suspect to leave the premises."

PC Warden said the "operators wilfully obstructed the police from conducting their enquiries, by assisting the suspect of the assault to leave the venue."

The police's request for Belluccis to be stripped of its booze licence has been supported by Wakefield Council's own enforcement officers.

In his written evidence, officer Paul Dean said the staff's behaviour on the day was "emulated" at a follow-up visit.

He said: "The manager, who later identified herself as one of the owners of the venue, became argumentative and very unco-operative with the attending officers, notably when being asked about staff training failures concerning the incident being investigated."

In a statement, restaurant co-owner Nkosinathi Zvimba, said: "Belluccis restaurant strongly disputes what the police said about them being disruptive in their attempts to detain and question the assault suspect."

Mr Zvimba denied staff helped the suspect leave the premises, claiming an individual police wanted to speak to left via a fire door, "which is visible to all our diners."

He also said the restaurant had called the police about the alleged assault in the first place, insisting that staff therefore had "no reason to be unco-operative" with officers when they arrived.

Local Democracy Reporting Service