A “misguided attempt at flattery” cost a Northern Ireland electrical engineer a £540 fine at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Cormac Henry, of Coal Island, Dungannon, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards an 18-year-old night receptionist in the Premier Inn on October 31 last year.
The court was told Henry was intoxicated when he approached the front counter of the hotel and began talking with the staff member.
Fiscal depute Ross Carvel said: “She told him she had to continue with her work and he repeatedly said to her: ‘you like me’, ‘you love me’ and he said he wanted to make kids with her.
“This made her uncomfortable and she went into the office and locked the door. She watched on CCTV as he banged his hands on the counter and was shouting.
“Then he jumped over the counter and began throwing things around. This scared the young lady and she called the police.
“But she had to run past him to let the officers in to the hotel.” Mr Carvel went on.
Defence solicitor Clare Russell said: “He was working in the Inverness area for a few days and had been out drinking.
“This is no excuse for his behaviour which was a misguided attempt at flattery. He is very remorseful. He had lost the key card for his room and struggled to get over the counter to see if he could get one.”