A TEENAGE care home worker tried to kill her boss and set fire to her in a bid to cover up £2,000 which went missing, a jury heard.

Aseya Begum, 18, is accused of hitting Hazlewood nursing home owner Patricia Maghoub twice over the head with "a blunt instrument" before starting a blaze in a bin after she had barricaded herself in a storeroom.

Begum, of Peter Street, Rawtenstall, denies attempted murder, wounding with intent and arson at the Haslingden residential home last August.

Prosecutor Richard Marks QC told Manchester Crown Court problems arose after Mrs Maghoub went on a fortnight's holiday in July, leaving Begum, who she thought highly of, in charge of running the office.

Mrs Maghoub returned to the Bury Road home which she had run for 15 years to find £2,000 missing.

"The true position isn't clear but Begum clearly felt the finger of blame was being firmly pointed in her direction," said Mr Marks. "Her reaction was to go completely 'off at the deep end'."

Mrs Maghoub was in the office with Begum checking staff rotas when she felt a sudden and very sharp blow to the back of her head.

Mr Marks said she looked round to see Begum, who struck her a number of further blows on the head and shoulders with a hard, blunt object.

A struggle ensued which resulted in both women ending up in the kitchen where Begum produced a large knife, with which she lunged at Mrs Maghoub. Mrs Maghoub grabbed for the knife but fell to the floor and was struck several blows to the head by Begum who was holding a metal coffee pot.

Mrs Maghoub then managed to barricade herslf in a storeroom. She then heard a "glugging" sound and saw cooking oil seeping under the door before she heard a match striking and then smelled smoke.

"The crown say Miss Begum had started a fire in a kitchen bin close to the storeroom where Mrs Maghoub had taken refuge," added Mr Marks.

A later investigation by fire officers concluded a fire had been deliberately set. But luckily the blaze confined itself to the bin and burned itself out.

To cover herself Mr Marks said Begum told other staff that Mrs Maghoub was in a meeting in the kitchen and not to be disturbed.

But one member of staff did go down to the basement kitchen and found it full of smoke. She heard shouts from the storeroom and raised the alarm.

"It was Miss Begum's intention for Mrs Maghoub to die through loss of blood from her wounds or by fire, or both," said Mrs Marks. "In the event, though the mental scars remain, fortunately she had recovered from her physical injuries."

When interviewed Begum admitted being in a fight but claimed that Mrs Maghoub had been the aggressor and she had acted in self defence.

(Proceeding)

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