EDWARD Roberts "flipped" during a disciplinary hearing at his work and pushed over the desk his manager was sitting at before picking up a chair and throwing it at a window, a court heard.

Blackburn magistrates heard that as he left Roberts threw another chair, breaking a window in the reception area at Asco General Supplies, Scotland Bank Terrace, Blackburn.

Roberts, 36, of Cleveleys Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to damaging a desk and a window and was ordered to pay £300 towards the compensation claim of £450. The magistrates imposed no further penalty and made no order for costs.

Philip Potter, prosecuting, said that for want of a better description, Roberts had lost his temper. "Having overturned the desk he basically told the manager he could take his job and shove it," said Mr Potter.

"He then threw a chair at the window. That window did not break but when he repeated the exercise in the reception area, a window was broken."

Kevin Preston, defending, said as a result of this incident Roberts had been suspended and now faces another hearing when he will be charged with gross misconduct for which the penalty is summary dismissal.

"I think you can take it as read that he has lost his job," said Mr Preston. "He was originally summoned to see his boss, a Mr Hargreaves, because he had taken a day off work on March 2.

"He was told that because of that he was to be put before a full disciplinary hearing of the company on March 9," said Mr Preston.

"He felt aggrieved because he understood that he was allowed to take one day off a month.

"When he did not receive a satisfactory explanation, he flipped and a momentary lapse of his normal self control has cost him his job."

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