Sloshed disgruntled ex-employee caused mayhem at luxury Derbyshire hotel

Barry Birds, 45, who “couldn’t stand up straight” shoved a computer off the reception desk - calling the female worker “tramp” and “skank” as horrified guests looked on.

Birds, who had no legal representation, told police after the incident he would “get” the hotel owner who he claimed owed him £2,500, adding: “I’m going to f******” kill him”.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard how on August 2 around 7.30pm Birds appeared in reception at Bakewell’s H Boutique Hotel.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop said: “Mr Birds is an ex-employee of the owner of the hotel - he used to work for him at another establishment - he has a grievance that he was not paid some holiday pay in 2017.

“He was drunk and couldn’t stand up straight and asked where the owner was, saying he was going to slit his throat.”

Ms Allsop said after being asked to leave, Birds squared up “in the face” of the receptionist and pushed a computer monitor towards her after she pushed him away.

As she caught the monitor the worker broke a fingernail off as Birds shouted “tramp” and “skank” at her.

A guest who witnessed the incident described Birds as “extremely aggressive” and “drunk or on drugs”.

Ms Allsop said Birds had previous convictions for violence but they were of “some age”.

Birds, choosing to represent himself in court, told magistrates: “I didn’t thump the monitor - it fell over and the girl broke her fingernail picking it up.

“Even the police said it didn’t look like assault so why am I being charged with it?”

Ms Allsop said the crown brought a common assault charge against him due to the “fear and apprehension” he caused and that his actions led to the broken fingernail.

Birds added: “He owes me £2,500, instead of going to see him I’m going to the CAB.”

The defendant, of Colonel Wright Close, Bakewell, admitted common assault.

Magistrates adjourned his sentence pending probation reports and he was bailed conditionally not to attend the H Boutique Hotel.