WATFORD: The trial of a security guard from The Grove hotel and golf complex accused of stealing cash from a safe has halted after the judge ruled there was no case to answer.

Kassim Mahomed was dismissed by the Hempstead Road hotel after he was accused of taking £135, from a locked safe, for the kitchen’s float.

When it was noticed the money was missing CCTV pictures were trawled through and on Saturday, January 12, 2008, Mahomed was seen going to the safe alone and removing something before returning to replace what the prosecution claim is the empty cash box.

After he was sacked Mahomed sent a text to his boss saying: “Would like to apologise to you for having brought all this embarrassment to the security department”.

The prosecution said this communication signed “Kaz” was an admission of guilt.

Mahomed, of Cumbria Close, Houghton Regis denied theft.

On Tuesday, during the second day of the trial at St Albans Crown Court the defence made an application of no case to answer because there was no way of knowing how much money had been in the safe, if any at all.

The defence said the fact Mahomed went to the safe and his text, which he denied was an admission of guilt, were irrelevant as The Grove could not produce any account of what money was in the safe.

Judge Kay QC agreed and before directing the jury to return a not guilty verdict said: “Despite the fact there must be an accounting system at The Grove Hotel to show how much money was put into the float and paid out in expenses no such evidence is before the court.

“The crown’s case relies on a chef saying there was cash in an envelope in a tin. A log book was supposed to be filled in, but it has become plain in the evidence that as far as kitchen staff were concerned it wasn’t filled in.

“The defendant was seen on CCTV standing in front of the safe and his explanation about it has inconsistency about it. His text message to the head of security certainly casts doubt on his own position.

“But taking it all into account in my judgement, although is a close run thing, I do not think a jury could be properly directed that the money had gone missing.”