Pensioner ran naked through hotel in drunken rampage with his elderly wife
AN ELDERLY couple were ordered to pay nearly £5,000 after a naked, drunken rampage in a luxury hotel.
Former chartered surveyor Robert Fergus, 72, ran amok nude in the reception and told one staff member: “I’m going to slit you and kill you.”
His wife Ruth, 69, threatened staff saying she would shoot them.
The pensioners drove off in their £65,000 BMW and were arrested by police.
The couple had been on an all-day drinking session at the Loch Rannoch Hotel in Perthshire.
They banged on other guests’ doors at 1.45am before threatening staff when they tried to intervene.
Abuse
Naked Mr Fergus was brandishing scissors as he screamed abuse in the hotel lobby. He then told a hotel worker: “I’m going to slit you and kill you.”
He picked up a sign which he used to smash glass-panelled doors, Perth Sheriff Court was told.
His wife shouted at one woman staff member: “I’m going to get a gun and shoot you.”
As staff fled the couple, from Troon, Ayrshire, returned to their room to pack before driving off towards Perth where they were stopped by police.
Mr Fergus was twice over the drinkdrive limit, telling officers: “I had no intention of driving but I was forced to. Our lives were in danger from hotel staff.”
But police looked at CCTV footage and reached a different conclusion. The couple admitted threatening and abusive behaviour on February 4.
Mr Fergus also admitted smashing glass door panels, cutting computer cables and causing £800 damage. He also admitted driving while twice the legal alcohol limit.
Mitigating solicitor Ewan Cameron said: “It was abhorrent conduct on the part of Mr Fergus but he is a 72-year-old man with no previous convictions and it is hugely uncharacteristic on his part.
“He consumed much more alcohol than was sensible. He retired to bed but was roused by his wife who said she had been on the receiving end of hostility from hotel staff.
“He reacted disproportionately by going to reception to confront them. His memory is somewhat hazy. He was responsible, in a fit of pique, for vandalising the property.”
The solicitor said Mr Fergus had previously been of good character and was a senior committee member at his local rugby club and a member of the fund-raising 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.”
Mr Fergus was fined £2,750 and ordered to pay the hotel a further £800 compensation. He was also banned from driving for 12 months.
His wife was fined a further £1,350.