A HOSPITALITY worker told his former employers he would burn down their restaurant in a series of offensive messages and calls after he was dismissed from his position as head chef, a court heard.

Marius-Razvan Cucu sent several expletive-laden messages to the boss of a restaurant where he worked for around a month before being let go, South Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Barrow was told.

The 54-year-old pleaded guilty to sending a message that was grossly offensive or indecent following the incident on December 5.

The court was told Cucu, who now lives in Ambleside and works for a business described as one of the Lake District's most respected employers, worked as head chef on a trial basis for a restaurant in Leicester before being let go.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said Cucu, who is Romanian, sent messages threatening to 'destroy' the business and set it on fire.

He also called the business owner 'bald and fat' in a series of x-rated messages.

In mitigation, Karen Templeton said Cucu claimed he had fallen out with his former boss over some unpaid wages following the trial and was expressing his anger in the messages.

She said Cucu had described being abusive as a way Romanians settled their arguments.

"In Romania when people fall out the way people deal with it is effectively being very abusive," she told magistrates.

"He didn't believe he was threatening them. He sees it as he was very badly abusive."

The solicitor said Cucu had never been in trouble with the law before and handed forward a character from new employers, an unnamed business she said was one of the Lakes's 'most respected'. 

Ms Templeton added there had been no further incidents since last year.

Magistrates told Cucu he had committed a 'serious' offence.

The defendant, of Greenbank Road, was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and told to pay a £114 surcharge and costs of £85.

Magistrates opted against imposing a restraining order against the business owner and his wife as there had been no further contact and they lived a great distance away.