A CHEF who had only been working at a Dales pub for a week, handed in her notice before trashing her room and fleeing, Skipton Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pleading guilty to criminal damage amounting to some £500, Amy Greenwood, 39, of Ethel Street, Sutton-in-Craven, near Keighley told magistrates she accepted she had damaged a shower screen, a glass pane window, a set of drawers, a door frame and a fire alarm at the Buck Inn, at Buckden, On June 17 this year, but could not recollect doing it.

Prosecuting, Martin Butterworth said Joanne Nelson, licensee of the Buck Inn, had employed Greenwood as a chef but after a week the defendant handed in her notice.

She was told she could stay in the flat an additional night and her family could collect her the following day.

“Between midnight and 5am the following day the damage had been caused but when police spoke to her she could not remember doing it,

“She had drunk a bottle-and-a-half of wine over eight hours prior to the incident,” he said.

Defending, Siobhan White said her client had been disappointed with the accommodation saying it was old and tatty. The door would not lock. she had no internet access and she felt isolated and afraid.

Miss White said Greenwood had witnessed ‘frightening’ incidents in the first week and said she saw a physical fight between a management member and a staff member where baseball bats and golf clubs were used as weapons.

“She did not feel safe at all after witnessing this,” said Miss White, who added that she also became ill and was unable to go into the kitchen for 48 hours.

“She accepts she must have done the damage to her room but cannot remember. She feels she must have blacked out.

“When she came round in the early hours she phoned 101 and was told to go to a phone box down the road.

“Family members them came to collect her.

“Soon after the damage was discovered and police interviewed her at her home at Sutton-in-Craven. She accepted that, realistically, the damage must have been caused by her, as she was the only one in the room,” said Miss White.

She added her client was remorseful of her actions and was willing to pay for the damage.

She was currently not working.

Magistrates ordered she pay £500 in compensation to the Buck Inn and also ordered she pay a fine of £40, a surcharge of £34 and costs of £85.