Legal spat delays sentencing in worker’s revenge call case

Published on 07/12/2012 12:00

A TWISTED restaurant worker launched a revenge campaign ­urging his Facebook friends to rape the daughter of his ex-boss.

Tonino Venditti, 42, was due to be sentenced at Livingston Sheriff Court yesterday after admitting inciting others to visit the home of Lothian Road restaurant Rombo Verde director Dario Bianchini and steal all his belongings.

He also admitted inciting others to rape Mr Bianchini’s daughter. The offence was allegedly committed at Venditti’s home on August 1.

Venditti, of Whitburn, West Lothian, earlier pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, but his lawyer Matthew Berlow told the court he was withdrawing from the case after being given “divergent instructions” by his client.

Mr Berlow said the accused, who had been on remand, had told social workers that other ­people were to blame for posting the offensive Facebook messages.

He told the court that Venditti’s claims directly contradicted his earlier instructions for a guilty plea to the charge and he had been ­unable to resolve the situation.

Sheriff Grahame Fleming QC adjourned the case until December 21 and banned Venditti from approaching or contacting Mr Bianchini or his family and from posting messages about family members on social media.