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11
Nov 2022
Head chef admits assault and knife offence at Harrogate restaurant
A head chef has been given a suspended sentence for causing criminal damage at a Harrogate restaurant and carrying a knife in public.
Daniel Woodward, 35, of Oakdale Drive, Harrogate, was also charged with assaulting a staff member, racially aggravated harassment and affray.
He appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to all charges.
Woodward had worked at William and Victoria restaurant on Cold Bath Road for three years as a head chef, the court heard.
When he turned up at the restaurant on October 9, another staff member noticed he was “concerned about his girlfriend”.
Woodward was told to calm down and sit upstairs, where he began raising his voice and banging his fists on the table.
Later Woodward was in the kitchen where staff found him swearing and bowls were smashed.
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The prosecution said the female staff member became scared as Woodward began shouting and swearing, some of which was racial.
The court heard how staff found Woodward with a chef’s knife “clutched to him” and had “blood on his hands”.
Magistrates were also told how Woodward had assaulted a male staff member and left him with a cut to his right hand finger.
At 2.30pm, police arrived at the scene and took Woodward to hospital. He continued to swear and use racially insulting words.
The officer said Woodward called him a “pig” and repeatedly told him to “f*** off”.
The prosecution said:
'Sorry for his actions'
Brian Nuttney, defending Woodward, told the court that Woodward had “no recollection of much of what happened”, but was sorry for his actions.
Mr Nuttney said the defendant’s girlfriend was supposed to come to see him the night before, but did not turn up which led to him becoming concerned.
He told the court that Woodward was also offered bottles of wine at the restaurant and another staff member made a remark which “could have tipped him over the edge”.
Mr Nuttney said the defendant had been in care at a young age and had felt abandoned, but had gone on to start a family and train to be a chef.
He said:
Woodward was given a 21-month total sentence suspended for two years. He was also sentenced to eight weeks and four weeks in prison for harassment and affray, which were also suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to undertake 25 days of rehabilitation and to wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 90 days.
Woodward was also subjected to court costs of £472.
The magistrates also awarded £100 in compensation to William and Victoria and another £100 to the injured staff member.
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