A head chef cheated his bosses by going on a theft and fraud 'spree' to stock up with food and equipment to open his own restaurant, a jury was told today.

Emanuele Lamanuzzi, 42, was running the Pirandello restaurant in Cheltenham when the owners went away for six months leaving him in charge, Gloucester crown court was told.

While they were away he used their card to buy food, drink and utensils from a cash and carry and Tesco's but those items never made it into the restaurant, alleged prosecutor Caighli Taylor.

Read more:http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Cheltenham-chef-trial-allegations-stole/story-25960756-detail/story.html#ixzz3QnosjuWO