Staff had to flee from boozy OAPs’ rampage

COURT: Hotel workers threatened by pensioners who had been drinking

Hotel staff abandoned their posts and fled into Kinloch Rannoch after a pair of confused pensioners went on a boozy rampage.

They spilled out into a stormy February night in a panic to escape retired chartered surveyor Robert Fergus, 72 and his 69-year-old wife Ruth.

The couple threatened to attack staff with sharp implements and a gun during a bizarre incident while they were guests at the MacDonald Kinloch Rannoch Hotel. They had been drinking all day.

Appearing at Perth Sheriff Court, the couple, of Balcomie Court in Troon, South Ayrshire, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner on February 4 this year.

Mr Fergus also admitted smashing glass pane doors and causing extensive damage to servers by cutting cables and causing £800 of damage.

He further admitted driving his £65,000 BMW on the B864 Kinloch Rannoch to Tummel Bridge road while twice the legal alcohol limit (43 mics).

Mr Fergus was fined £2,750 and ordered to pay the hotel a further £800 in compensation. He was also banned from driving for 12 months. His wife was fined a further £1,350. Events began with banging on hotel guests doors at around 1.45am before threats to staff with violence when they tried to intercede.

Mr Fergus was brandishing a pair of scissors as he screamed abuse in the hotel lobby and his wife shouted at one female member of staff “I’m going to get a gun and shoot you”.

He then told another staff member: “I’m going to slit you and kill you” and also picked up a sign, which he used to smash glass-panelled doors.

As terrified staff fled the hotel, the couple returned to their rooms to pack before driving off towards Perth.

The court heard they flagged down a passing police car as they neared Tummel Bridge and accused staff of attacking them. Mr Fergus’ intoxicated state swiftly became apparent.

He gave a positive breath test but told officers: “I had no intention of driving but I was forced to. Our lives were in danger from hotel staff.”

Shortly after attending at the hotel – and after viewing CCTV footage of the past few hours – the officers reached a different conclusion.

Solicitor Ewan Cameron said: “It was abhorrent conduct on the part of Mr Cameron but he is a 72-year-old man with no previous convictions and it is hugely uncharacteristic on his part.

“He was taken aback at hearing the full details of his wrongdoing.”

The solicitor said the retired chartered surveyor had previously been of good character and was both a senior committee member at his local rugby club and a member of the fundraising committee for a local school for disabled children.

Sheriff Gillian Wade told Mr Fergus: “This is a very sorry state of affairs and it gives me no pleasure to see you here at the age of 72 and as a first offender.

“It is extremely regrettable but these are obviously serious offences and they must have caused hotel staff considerable concern.”

This is a very sorry state of affairs and it gives me no pleasure to see you here at the age of 72 and as a first offender. SHERIFF GILLIAN WADE

Staff at the MacDonald Kinloch Rannoch Hotel had to leave the building after being threatened with being shot and slit, a court has been told.