Sacked chef from Blackpool in hotel fight row

The White Lion in Ambleside where Melling worked for two weeks Pic: Booking.com

Neil Melling got hot under his chef’s whites after being told he was being sacked from his job at The White Lion Hotel in Ambleside.

He confronted the head chef and the two ended up in a wrestling match.

Melling said the head chef, who weighed more than 30 stones, then sat on top of him and he could not breathe.

He said he was forced to grab the head chef by the testicles to get him off so he could get some air.

Melling,41, of Elizabeth Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to assault and damaging a cell at Kendal police station.

In a separate incident he admitted behaving in a threatening manner at the Santander Bank, Blackpool, after his bank card got stuck in the cash machine and possessing cannabis.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Melling had been working at The White Lion Hotel for two weeks. He had been asked by the head chef to attend several meetings about his skills and attitude.

On October 23 the head chef told Bailey his employment was being terminated with immediate effect.

Melling stormed into the staff room shouting and swearing at staff and carried on with this type of behaviour at the rear of the hotel.

The head chef and another staff member tried to get him back inside but Melling repeatedly pushed the head chef and then grabbed him by the scrotum.

In another incident on November 29 Melling stormed into the Santander bank after his card became jammed in the ATM.

He shouted and swore in front of staff and customers saying he would smash the bank up if they could not sort it out and made a homophobic remark to a bank clerk.

Punishment

He was sentenced to 18 weeks jail suspended for 12 months with 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service plus six months alcohol treatment and ordered to pay compensation of £50 to the head chef, £50 to a bank clerk with £150 for damaging the cell by Blackpool magistrates.

In a report to the court, probation officer Emma Naden said Melling admitted binge drinking at times and added: “He has massive issues managing his emotions.”

Trevor Colebourne, defending, said his client said he and the head chef did not seem to get on from the moment they met.

Melling said he had been dismissed for no reason at all and no proper employment procedures were followed.