A HOTEL cleaner helped herself to nearly £800-worth of booze after she had agreed to fill in for the porter’s shift.

Carly Weighman, 34, had been employed at the Derwentwater Hotel in Keswick and was ‘drunk on shift’ in the early hours of November 19 last year.

The general manager of the hotel had ‘had a chat’ with Weighman about her behaviour and had then checked the CCTV footage, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said Weighman was seen entering the liquor store of the hotel with an unknown man and it looked like she had something under her jumper.

She was witnessed ‘staggering’ into the hotel reception area and a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin had fallen out of her jacket.

The defendant was then seen sat in the reception area, drinking mini bottles of prosecco. Several bottles of alcohol were missing from the liquor store.

Weighman had taken a set of keys and placed them into her pocket before she had taken the alcohol. She did not have permission to access the liquor store.

The court was told that £400-worth of spirits and wines had also been taken from the cellar fridge. The total value of items stolen was £785.

During police interview, Weighman said she got the keys from the office and let herself into the liquor store. Her boyfriend had placed some alcohol in his pants.

She said the alcohol had been drunk or her boyfriend had taken it with him.

Ms Fee said there had ‘clearly been a breach of trust’ as the defendant was an employee at the time and had taken keys she shouldn’t have had access to.

A probation officer said Weighman had agreed to cover the porter’s job and had consumed alcohol prior to the shift.

The offence had been motivated by the defendant’s dependency to alcohol and her partner had persuaded her to steal the keys. There had been a level of coercion from this individual, the court was told.

Since the offence, he had ceased contact with her, leaving her feeling ‘used’. The defendant had become dependent on alcohol eight years ago and continues to drink daily.

Weighman had since been able to gain employment at a local bakery and her job was not at risk.

David Martin, defending, said: “She is genuinely sorry about this. She feels she has let herself down, her manager down. She has lost her good name. She is thoroughly ashamed of herself.”

Weighman, of Cleator Moor Road, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to burglary other than dwelling – theft.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with a three-month alcohol treatment requirement and five rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The defendant was fined £266 and ordered to pay £785 in compensation to the hotel. She was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.