A WHITEHAVEN business owner threw a brick through the window of a building as he believed a sacked employee was inside.

Nejat Alkan, who previously listed Chattanooga on Duke Street in the town as his address, also faced a charges of drink-driving and failing to stop after a crash.

The first offence involved Alkan going round to a property where he believed a former employee of his was on September 7 last year.

“At 9pm he has gone to address of the victim and said he was going round to discuss rumours about him,” prosecutor Diane Jackson told Carlisle’s magistrates’ court on Thursday.

Alkan, now of Alder Close, then began to bang on the doors and windows of the property before becoming agitated that no-one was answering.

“He picked up a brick and threw it through the rear window, smashing it,” continued the prosecutor.

The damage caused was valued at £138.16. He admitted the charge of criminal damage.

The other two crimes took place on March 12 this year. Miss Jackson explained how Alkan, 51, had crashed into a Mini Cooper at about 8pm, causing significant damage, before then driving away.

Officers tracked him to the address of his ex-partner’s where a roadside breath test found him to have 67 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Gail Heard, defending, said Alkan: “He panicked and drove round the corner to where his ex-partner lives trying to work out what to do next.”

She said he had been under extreme work pressure and had decided to drive home after having a drink with some builders who had been working on one of his businesses.

Alkan was banned from driving for 20 months, was fined a total of £650, and must pay £138.16 in compensation, £85 in costs and a £65 victim surcharge.