A civil engineer today faces a court bill of more than £700 for attacking a York hotel manager after an office Christmas party.

Peter James Straker, 24, was lying asleep in the cocktail bar of the Hilton Hotel when staff found him at 5.50am, said Martin Butterworth, prosecuting.

He had apparently been in the hotel since 7pm the previous evening, attending his works Christmas party.

When a hotel manager tried to awake him, he responded with groans and swear words before suddenly lashing out with a clenched fist at her and then trying to attack other members of staff.

Civil engineering graduate Straker, of Moorwell Road, Bottesford, near Scunthorpe, pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

He was fined £500, ordered to pay the manager £150 compensation and £55 court costs.

He has no previous convictions.

Mr Butterworth told York Magistrates Court that Straker was aggressive and struck out again hitting the manager, who "greatly feared for her safety".

Other staff members managed to restrain Straker and got him to the floor despite him lashing out at them.

For Straker, Nicholas Darwin said he was not a heavy drinker.

But he had been drinking from 8pm before, during and after a meal.

His friends had left at about 4am and he had been so drunk he could remember nothing about the incident at 5.50am.