A Burntisland hotel manager was robbed of £180 when a drunk guest marched him to a bank machine and demanded a refund.
Ronald Mataruse, 30, pled guilty to robbing Bank House Hotel general manager Florin-Don Siclovan and placing him in fear and alarm for his safety, on April 30 this year.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard Mataruse and his girlfriend had been a guest at the High Street establishment.
Procurator fiscal depute Amy Robertson told the court another guest heard banging and raised voices in the lobby at around 3.45am and recognised one voice as that of the hotel manager.
They heard the manager ask Mataruse to leave the hotel, which he had booked from April 27 to 30.
Wanted money back
The fiscal depute told the court: “The accused was described as aggressively asking for his money back.
“The hotel guest was significantly concerned for the safety of the manager and contacted police to report the incident.
“The accused was repeatedly asking the hotel manager for money back and instructed the manager to come with him to an ATM to withdraw money.
“Complainer Mr Siclovan was understandably fearful and followed the instruction of the accused to walk to a nearby ATM.”
Ms Robertson said: “Whilst on the way the accused continued to shout, saying he wanted his money back for the hotel stay and Mr Siclovan was fearful.
“Mr Siclovan withdrew £180 from his own personal bank account and gave it to the accused before returning to the locus together.”
Ms Robertson said police arrived at the hotel shortly after 4am and spoke to the manager.
Cheated
Mataruse was arrested and taken into custody, where officers found 18 £10 notes in his backpack.
The court heard Mataruse, of Stoke-on-Trent, has a number of previous convictions in England.
Defence lawyer Kerr Sneddon said the accused had an argument with his girlfriend after drinking alcohol.
Mr Sneddon said his client, in his final year of a BA in finance and business, has already paid about £250 for travel north from England for court appearances.
He said Mataruse has not drunk since the incident.
He added: “It was extremely stupid behaviour.”
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith fined Mataruse £630 and ordered him to pay £300 compensation to his victim.
The sheriff said: “It will take the accused ten months to pay the fine and compensation in full.
“It will remind him not to drink and demand money from hotel managers in the future.”
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