A night porter who went on a near-£100,000 wrecking spree at the Kent hotel where he worked says he smashed up the place in sheer frustration.

Edward Woods went berserk while on duty at Larkfield Priory Hotel – destroying 21 windows, six doors, two fridges, an oven, breakfast table and three beer pumps which management claims caused £94,000 of damage.

The 49-year-old, of Buckland Hill, Maidstone, says his outburst was completely out of character after being forced to do jobs he wasn't trained for and being warned for refusing to charge NHS workers £1 to use a lunch plate during the height of the Covid crisis.

Woods was a live-in night porter at the London Road venue – but says he was asked to cover for other roles and sometimes had to double-up as a chef, none of which he was trained for.

In the early hours of Sunday, July 25, he went on the rampage with a metal bracket, also destroying computer screens and Covid barriers belonging to Larkfield Priory Hotel.

The 49-year-old, of Buckland Hill, Maidstone, was living and working at the London Road site when he also destroyed computer equipment and Covid-19 screens.

Woods appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property over the value of £5,000. (Oct 20)

He also pleaded guilty to causing £2,500 of damage to a 2021-plate Ford Fiesta belonging to hotel manager Prasanna Kirubakaran.

Woods disputes the £94,000 cost associated with the frenzied spree and has asked for an independent assessment.

He will appear at Maidstone Crown Court, on a date to be confirmed, where he will be sentenced.

Woods was given conditional bail on the terms he doesn't contact the victim, or visit the hotel.

Speaking outside the court Woods said he takes full responsibility for his actions, but slammed the hotel for its role in the outburst.

'It all just built up and I had enough.'

He said: "It came about after a number of incidents which built up and I lost it.

"It's completely out of character for me to do something like that, anyone I know or worked with at the hotel will tell you that.

"I'm just a night porter and had been asked to do things I wasn't trained for, such as covering for a chef, and staff weren't treated well. It all just built up and I had enough."

Woods claimed he was warned by management for refusing to charge NHS workers, who were staying at the hotel in Covid times, £1 to use a plate for their lunch.

He was also critical of the hotel's response to negative comments on review sites, where they would promise visitors staff would be "reprimanded".

The hotel has been approached for comment.

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