A disgruntled chef who was caught on CCTV as he released non-native cockroaches into a Lincoln pub was today (Monday) given a suspended jail sentence.
Tom Williams, 25, released the creatures into the kitchen area of the Royal William IV pub on Lincoln’s Brayford Pool in an act of revenge after a dispute over holiday pay.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Williams was employed in the kitchen as a chef but the dispute about holiday pay arose on October 11.
David Eager, prosecuting, said the pub catering manager offered Williams £100 but he was still unhappy and a number of texts and emails followed.
One message threatened to “cockroach bomb the kitchen,” the court was told.
Mr Eager said Williams returned to the pub at around 12.24pm on October 13 and released around 20 cockroaches from a jar.
He also warned another member of the kitchen staff not to touch the cockroaches as they were toxic.
“They were non-native cockroaches which would not normally be found in the UK,” Mr Eager added.
Both the pub and Williams contacted the local Environmental Health department.
Mr Eager said Williams usually kept the cockroaches in a jar to feed his other animals, but added: “It clearly is a threat, there is some element of planning.”
The court heard Williams declined to comment during interview and then failed to attend Lincoln Crown Court for his trial.
Williams, of John Street, Lincoln, later pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary with intent to cause criminal damage and failing to surrender for his trial.
In a victim impact statement the pub manager described how the Royal William lost £22,000 after they were forced to close, deep clean and carry out repeated checks to make sure they were clear of an infestation.
The manager added: “The impact was not just financial on the Royal William team, particularly the kitchen staff, who had to accept someone they knew had done this, and then had to work longer hours away from their families.”
Jeremy Janes, mitigating, told the court Williams had made a number of poor choices by returning to the pub, going no comment to the police and then not attending for his trial.
Mr Janes said Williams had a legitimate reason for returning to the pub, but accepted he took the cockroaches with him in a jar.
“It is not a good plan and was not well though out,” Mr Janes added.
“There was a legitimate dispute, he made a poor decision to go about recompense.”
Mr Janes said at the time Williams was motivated by being the sole carer for his young son after working his way up from pot washer to head chef.
Passing sentence Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told Williams: “One of the messages threatened to ‘cockroach bomb the pub.’ That is exactly what you did.”
The judge added: “This was revenge, you were targeting them.”
Williams was sentenced to 17 months imprisonment suspended for two years, and must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work in the community and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
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