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A chef in the UK only had revenge on his mind when he released 20 cockroaches into a restaurant's kitchen after an argument with the restaurant owner over unpaid holiday pay, causing over £22,000 (BD10,221) in damages.
25-year-old Tony Williams quit his job at the Royal William IV pub in Lincoln after getting into an argument with the owner over unpaid holiday pay. Two days after Williams quit, he returned back to the restaurant to "cockroach-bomb" the restaurant's kitchen.
Williams had allegedly sent a letter to the restaurant threatening to do so.
According to court proceedings, Williams released 20 non-native cockroaches into the kitchen. Once they were noticed, the rest of the kitchen staff immediately contacted Environmental Health and pest control. The restaurant eventually had to shut down due to health and safety concerns.
The restaurant reported that the closure led to damages worth £22,000.
A victim impact statement read out by the prosecution said, “It isn’t just the finances of the company, it was how the rest of the Royal William team, particularly the kitchen team, are upset with what happened”.
It added: “It isn’t just the finances of the company, it was how the rest of the Royal William team, particularly the kitchen team, are upset with what happened. They were depressed that someone who they worked alongside would be so callous towards them.”
Williams was given a 17-month prison sentence suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to a charge of burglary with intent to cause criminal damage and failing to surrender for his trial.
The court also ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work.
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