Chef who trashed staff kitchen ordered to pay £900

A hotel chef who trashed a staff accommodation kitchen in a fit of rage, and then failed to appear in court, has been left £900 out of pocket.

Marek Juras, 40, of Cygnet Street, York, was due to appear in the dock at Lerwick Sheriff Court on 1st September after he admitted behaving in a threatening manner at 17 South Road in the town the previous day.

During the incident he threw furniture at walls and to the floor, causing damage estimated at £500.

Juras was given his liberty to allow him to find out if he still had a job. But he boarded the NorthLink ferry and left the isles instead.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Juras had attended a party within his accommodation, and had “far too much” to drink.

“He decided to smash up the kitchen, and he did so in a particularly aggressive manner. It caused an estimated £500-worth of damage,” Mr MacKenzie told the court.

The fiscal said Juras pleaded guilty to two charges in relation to the incident.

“Sentence was deferred until the next day for him to confirm whether or not he would still have his job, and that would inform the Sheriff  as to his sentence.

“It was made quite clear what would happen to him if he didn’t turn up.”

Juras later attended the fiscal’s office to say he had nowhere to stay. He was told to present himself to the council.

“He chose to ignore that advice, went to NorthLink and got on the boat.”

Mr MacKenzie said that, if the accused had money to board the ferry south, he would have had cash to find somewhere to stay in Lerwick.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Juras, who hails from the Czech Republic, had been working at the hotel for eight months.

He said Juras worked long hours and shared accommodation with three young Bulgarians who were “in the habit of making a lot of noise”.

Mr Allan said Juras had been unsuccessful in his bid to hold on to his job, and decided to board the ferry.

But on his arrival in Aberdeen, he made an unsuccessful attempt to have the case dealt with there.

Juras eventually found work in Yorkshire, but was arrested on re-entering the UK, after he had gone back to his homeland to celebrate his mother’s birthday.

Mr Allan said Juras had spent five days in custody.

Honorary Sheriff Willie Shannon fined Juras a total of £400. But he also ordered he pay £500 in compensation to cover the damage he had caused.