A DRUNKEN delivery driver terrorised a lone young assistant in a village shop, a court heard Nathan Chambers, 25, repeatedly went into the premises and was rowdy and swearing.

He told the victim he was going to have sex with her in the stockroom.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Chambers didn’t actually lay a finger on the 20-year-old victim, but a man with him did and tried to kiss her.

The defendant, who had red eyes, no shoes on, was scruffily dressed and had bleeding hands, helped himself to three packets of cigarettes and five bottles of alcohol during the intimidating incident.

The hearing was told the assistant, who had only worked at the store for two weeks, felt anxious and threatened by the presence of the two men.

Chambers, said to have previously worked for the Ivy Restaurant in London and Dubai, admitted theft and harassment.

He was given 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, with 240 hours unpaid work, 12 months’ supervision and a five-month curfew at his home in Clayton Fold, Burnley, between 6pm and midnight.

The court was told the defendant stated he accepted that the effect of his language and behaviour caused the young woman to fear she was going to be assaulted.

Chambers said there had been ‘drunken sexualised banter’ and he was not aware of the extent to which the woman was upset.

His conduct, he admitted, had been unpleasant and intimidating. Kevin Donnelly, defending Chambers, said he had been at a music festival and added: “It seems, because of the amount he had drunk, he did things he wouldn’t have dreamed of doing when sober. He is deeply ashamed of the way he behaved on this occasion. This is out of character.

“He has a good education, good employment and comes from a respectable family. His parents, who are in court to support him, are shocked and appalled.

“He is genuinely remorseful. He does now have a proper insight into quite how terrifying this experience must have been. He has learned a salutary lesson. He understands the need to monitor his own behaviour. It’s a horrible offence."”

Passing sentence, Recorder Barry Searle said the victim must have been terrified and anybody listening to the facts of the case would be shocked and appalled.

The judge said the defendant had used some ‘awful’ language towards the young woman.

He added, however, he had read some ‘glowing references’ to the defendant’s character and told him: “I accept this appalling behaviour, this disgraceful, disrespectful behaviour, was out of character.”