Chef jailed following assault and threats

A chef who only had been working at the Galley of Lorne for two weeks has been sentenced to 42 months in jail at Campbeltown Sheriff Court following a disturbance at the pub.

The sentence was backdated to March 21 last year because William McCondochie has been on remand since then; the incidents took place on March 18 and 19 last year at the well-known establishment in Ardfern.

McCondochie, whose address was given in court as “prisoner, HMP Greenock”, admitted shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence at a fellow member of staff and throwing items and causing damage; assaulting a customer by striking him repeatedly on the head with a pole and bar stool all to his injury and repeatedly striking another customer on the head with a pole to his injury and impairment.

Procurator fiscal Kavin Ryan-Hulme said the incident happened after McCondochie had been drinking and the two customers had been attempting to diffuse the situation. The police were called.

“He had threatened to kill the woman’s son and others approached and tried to calm him down. A fight ensued,” said the fiscal.

The 45-year-old chef also admitted shouting, swearing and uttering homophobic and racial remarks and threatening to spit on police officers at the Galley of Lorne, Mid Argyll Community Hospital and whilst being taken by police cell van to Helensburgh.

McCondochie’s defence agent, John B McGeechan, said: “He has a lengthy record; there is no getting away from it.”

He said that after a promising start, working relationships deteriorated, there was “some degree of tension” at the establishment and McCondochie had handed in his notice prior to the incident. His client had been drinking and he claimed that both of the men he attacked were also intoxicated.

Sheriff Patrick Hughes called the chef’s actions “deplorable”.