A double Michelin star chef texted colleagues “I don’t think we’ll keep the intern” after allegedly running the British trainee over with a Land Rover while drunk in Belgium.

‌Nick Bril, the owner of restaurant The Jane in Antwerp, did nothing to help his sous chef Joe Claridge, 37, for ten minutes after the incident, it was reported.

Mr Bril is alleged to have sent some messages to a Whatsapp group of The Jane staff after running over Mr Claridge, who lost his legs and some internal organs in the incident.

‌Judicial sources said the chef wrote: “Guys, I just finished up with our new intern. Complete KO. An ambulance and the police, everything involved. I don’t think we’ll keep Joe as an intern.”

‌Emergency services were only called after a passing jogger urged Mr Bril, who had taken a photo of the victim on the ground, to make the call, it was alleged.

‌When they arrived, he did not tell paramedics he had run over Mr Claridge and only said he was drunk, according to the reports in the Belgian media.

‌The incident happened in a private car park for staff outside the restaurant on Jan 8.

Mr Bril reportedly told the authorities he had consumed “one glass of wine, then two negronis and two beers. Then I finished with a few shots of tequila with the team. I can’t say how many. I think I was still able to drive.”

The victim was also reportedly drunk that evening as it was a Sunday, when the staff traditionally finishes off the opened bottles of wine and champagne.

‌At 6am, there were still eight people present at the party before Mr Claridge left for the taxi stand in front of the restaurant.

‌According to CCTV reportedly seen by investigators, Mr Bril left the restaurant and headed to his Land Rover.

‌The footage does not show how Mr Claridge fell to the ground, but does allegedly capture the car at 6.20am apparently reversing over where he was laying before driving over him a second time.

‘I panicked’

‌Mr Bril got out of the car and walked to a still-moving Mr Claridge. The chef reportedly said that he tried to wake him up “but that didn’t work and I panicked.”

‌The jogger appeared at 6.29am and asked Mr Bril why he had not called an ambulance. He later told local media that the chef said he had a new phone that he didn’t know how to use.

‌The jogger then walked to the front desk of a nearby hotel and asked them to call the emergency services, who arrived and took the British chef away.

‌Mr Bril reportedly sat in his car with the engine ready to drive off, with only the ambulance blocking his way.

Police breathalysed him and found he was over the limit, it was reported. He is not only suspected of intoxication behind the wheel and the accident itself, but also committed negligence by not immediately providing assistance.

After the accident, Mr Claridge’s mother immediately travelled to her son in hospital where he was in a coma for 50 days. Both of his legs had to be amputated.

Omar Souidi, Nick Bril’s lawyer, told local media he couldn’t reach his client and thought he was probably abroad.

“I note that journalists today appear to have quicker access to a secret investigation than the parties directly involved,” he said.

“If this is the case, it is shocking and a manifest violation of, among other things, Nick Bril’s rights of defence and the right to a fair trial.”

Antwerp public prosecutor’s office refused to comment as the investigation is still ongoing.