A chef plundered £5,000 of cash and gold jewellery from his boss’s home during a work break before resuming his shift, a Court heard.

Khoer Ahmed was branded “a disgrace” by a judge at Bradford Crown Court after betraying the trust of the man who had not only offered him a job but also given him a lift to work that day.

“He is a decent man. You are a thief,” Judge Jonathan Rose said as Ahmed, sole carer for his four young children, put his head in his hands and wept.

Ahmed, 30, of Eagle Street, Keighley, pleaded guilty to burgling the home of Mokbul Ali in Hallows Road, Stockbridge, Keighley, on April 6.

Judge Rose said he “richly deserved” to go to prison but he was showing mercy for the sake of his children.

Ahmed was sentenced yesterday to 12 months’ jail, suspended for two years, with 240 hours of unpaid work.

The judge warned him he would be locked up he failed to fully comply with the order.

Prosecutor Richard Smith said Ahmed had been working at Mr Ali’s restaurant, the Balti in Skipton, for only a few days when he committed the burglary.

He questioned his boss about his home and his neighbours when he gave him a lift to work. Ahmed took a break at 9.30pm and Mr Ali discovered his keys were missing.

He went home to find the back door open and the cash and jewellery gone from a cabinet in the bedroom.

Ahmed went back to work but was caught returning the keys by another staff member.

When police searched his home they found the missing haul hidden under clothes in a wardrobe.

The court heard that Ahmed was “at the end of his tether”. He was in debt and caring for his four young children after the death of his wife.

Of previous good character, he regretted his actions that night.

Judge Rose said: “This was a determined and serious offence of its type.”

But he told the court he would not punish the children for a crime committed by their father.