Father with Bell’s palsy detained by police at McDonald’s because employees thought he was drunk

A dad with facial paralysis says he felt like a criminal after McDonald’s staff called the police – because they thought he was drunk.

Craig Brown, 46, was shocked when a “staggering” number of police vans swarmed the drive-thru as he waited almost an hour for his food.

He had paid for two chicken mayonnaise sandwiches, a burger and three hot chocolates when six police officers removed him from his car at around 1am last Sunday.

Workers at the fast food branch in Blackpole, Worcester, called police believing the father-of-five was drunk and smoking cannabis.

But tests confirmed he was completely sober and then – to make matters worse – McDonald’s handed him the food, which was now stone cold.

Craig was previously diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, which sometimes causes one side of his face to droop, and believes staff mistook his condition for being drunk.

He said he joked with cashiers that he would ‘need a hotel’ due to the 45-minute wait, but maintained he was not acting drunk or slurring his words.

The self-employed electrician claimed he was abruptly told to wait in a car park while he was with a friend – where they remained until police arrived 10 minutes later.

Craig, from Worcester, said: “It really was an ordeal, I was shocked when I saw the police arrive with the blue lights on.

“I saw a van and then two others arrived. It was a shocking experience. I didn’t think they would come after me.

“I’m not a restless guy. But there comes a time when you go through the intercom when ordering your food and are left waiting for 40 minutes.

“We got to the window and they gave us our hot chocolate and asked us to park in the bay. I think I jokingly told them, ‘Should I book a hotel?’

“They said ‘sorry, the screens went off’ so I guess they were lying to me until the police got there.

“I wasn’t talking bad, I wasn’t drunk. You can tell right away when someone is on drugs, and this was nothing like me.

“The police then arrived, stopped and left immediately. They were looking for number plates, but I didn’t think it was for me.

“I was shocked and really in disbelief when they accused me of being drunk and using drugs.

“I don’t do drugs and I rarely drink, so I was surprised.

“There were people watching me, I use that van all the time. It’s in my name. It made me feel like a criminal.

“They forced me to take a breathalyzer test. I told them I would score zero.

“When the police finished with me, we got the food, but it was stone cold. They didn’t offer me a replacement meal or anything.

“I understand they have an obligation if there is someone drunk in the store or backing up their car, but they had no proof that I was drinking or using drugs.”

Craig said he was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy several years ago, which caused one side of his face to droop and may have been the cause of the confusion.

He added: “I’ve had Bell’s palsy, so one side of my face is slightly droopy, but other than that, you certainly know when someone is drunk.

“Maybe my face fell to one side, I don’t know. Maybe that was the cause, but it’s still wrong.

“Why did six police officers come too? They exaggerated. One of them turned on a flashing blue light.

“When I saw the van with the blue light I thought something was happening, so it was a big shock. You just can’t assume I’m on drugs.

“It was intimidating – you don’t need three vans and six police officers. I don’t know what right McDonald’s has to call the police.

“If they saw me coming out of the pub across the road and swerving I would understand, but I wasn’t.

“It’s disgusting to think about how much money I spent there and the way they treated me. I will certainly think twice before returning.”

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “At McDonald’s, we are committed to being a responsible neighbor and contributing to the safety and well-being of the communities we serve.

“It appears that in this case, although our team’s intentions were well-intentioned, their judgment was incorrect and for that we would like to apologize to the customer.

“However, it is important to emphasize that our focus remains on the safety of our local communities.”

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “Officers were called to the McDonald’s in Blackpole shopping park at around 1.10am on Sunday, October 6 following a reported concern about a driver who was potentially under the influence of alcohol.

“Upon arrival, officers located the driver who passed a breathalyzer test and no further police action was necessary.”