A CHEF who admitted giving information that helped burglars steal a safe containing thousands of pounds from a village pub has been given a 12-month community order.

Patrick Connolly, 30, was arrested following the theft at the Castle Eden Inn, in Castle Eden, near Peterlee, Durham Crown Court was told.

The pub’s head chef, David Coulson – a finalist in the Masterchef television programme last year – was also arrested following the crime, but was released without charge and was to have been the main prosecution witness had the case gone to trial.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said burglars broke into the pub and forced a cupboard to remove a safe containing about £2,500 on the evening of January 3. The safe was later recovered in a field near Hartlepool.

Mr Dryden said Connolly had admitted to police he had told other people working at the pub at the time where the safe was and what it contained – and Connolly accepted that, by doing so, he was part of a conspiracy.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said the only reason Connolly found himself in the dock was because of Facebook messages he had posted to someone else.

He said Connolly had been going through a difficult period at the time following the death of his mother and he had been drinking more than usual.

Mr Scarborough said: “He is clearly remorseful for what he has done.”

He said that Connolly had subsequently been hired as head chef at another pub.

Passing sentence, recorder Duncan Smith said: “It is unusual when somebody reaches the age of 30, they commit an offence which is completely out of character.

“You have no offences of dishonesty on your record.

“And I am satisfied that your part was simply to provide information. There is no suggestion you received any benefit from that burglary and I would be surprised if you had in the circumstances.”

Connolly, of South View, Wheatley Hill, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burglary with the intent to steal, was also made subject to 12- month supervision and ordered to pay £1,200 costs