Chef in court after foolish stunt carved slice out of friend's arm

Darren Whitaker said later he planned to use the blunt side of the knife, but by mistake used the sharp side of the blade when he was

messing about in the washing up area at Salute at the White Swan, Rothwell, Leeds on October 1 last year.

He realised his error when Niam Rudari began bleeding from his arm and immediately offered to drive him to hospital.

But Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday that decision compounded his

problems because Whitaker was a disqualified driver at the time.

Susanna Kitzing prosecuting said when he was interviewed by police Whitaker accepted he had acted irresponsibly with the knife but said he had no intention of hurting the other man.

Mr Rudari saw a plastic surgeon at Pinderfields Hospital and the next morning had surgery to repair the tendon having been told the cut had damaged 40 per cent of it.

Tom Storey for Whitaker said: "He acknowledges what he did was foolish to say the very least."

Mr Rudari, whom he regarded as a friend, had given in his notice and was working his last day there.

"Whether for that reason or more generally there was a degree of horseplay taking place in the kitchen as had happened on previous occasions between the kitchen workforce."

That included running the blunt side of a knife down a limb to make the person think they had received a cut when they had not done so, but because of Whitaker's mistake it went wrong on that occasion.

He had trained as a chef from the age of 16 and had worked in various places including three years at the Royal Armouries. He was currently looking for work.

Whitaker, 40, of The Oaks, Middleton, Leeds, admitted unlawful wounding and driving while disqualified. He was given an intensive alternative to custody sentence including 18 months supervision, 100 hours' unpaid work, a three months curfew from 7pm to 7am, and banned from driving for 12 months.

Judge James Goss QC said Whittaker had behaved like a teenager

committing a stupid prank "albeit with a potentially lethal weapon" but had been persuaded to give him a last chance.