A TRAINEE chef was driven to drugs and crime after the stress of working at Jamie Oliver’s Oxford restaurant, a court heard today.

Lorenzo Simon, 29, blamed long working hours at Jamie’s Italian in George Street for his heroin addiction, after admitting two burglaries and 11 similar thefts during sentencing at Oxford Crown Court.

Simon, a convicted robber, worked for eight months at the restaurant before leaving in April and embarking on a theft and burglary spree to fund his drug habit.

Recorder Stephen Oliver sent Simon to jail for 18 months — adding that any chances he had been given in the past had run out.

Jonathan Cotter, defending, said although Simon had a string of previous convictions he had stayed out of trouble for the past five years and got work as a trainee chef at Blenheim Palace, then at Jamie’s Italian.

Mr Cotter added: “He was working long hours preparing huge quantities of plates of meals and it all became ultimately too much for him.

“He was living in privately rented accommodation and working long shifts and essentially the stress resulted in him smoking cannabis, which he smoked as a young man, and he then graduated to hard drugs and was unable to keep his job down. He then stole to fund his habit in what can only be described as going on a spree.”

Caroline Oakley, prosecuting, said Simon got into final-year student Alexander Leadhill’s room in Oriel College on April 24 and stole £125 and a laptop containing two terms’ worth of university work.

On May 11 he walked into staff room at Wagamama restaurant in Market Street and stole a handbag and £30.

Simon, who served a jail term for robbery, has 69 previous convictions and admitted 11 other thefts.

A spokesman for Jamie’s Italian said Lorenzo, of Fratton in Portsmouth, Hampshire, was employed from September last year but left in April without handing in his notice.

He added: “He was given an opportunity in a junior role as he had little experience but appeared keen to learn.

“During his time in the kitchen, Lorenzo worked with senior chefs within a structured environment. We aim to support and develop our staff and the majority are able to cope with the pressure that comes from working in a very busy kitchen.”