A chef in Scotland has been ordered to pay compensation to two staff members after attacking them during the staff Christmas night out. Ross McDevitt, 31, assaulted his colleagues Darren Morris and Kyle Bruce during the event, leading to his dismissal from the Atholl Arms Hotel in Blair Atholl, Perthshire. Perth Sheriff Court heard that the altercation took place during a festive celebration arranged by the hotel’s management on February 7, 2023, when the hotel was relatively quiet. Tempers flared between the staff members, resulting in McDevitt pushing Morris, causing him to fall and hit his head against a keg on the floor, and grabbing Bruce by the neck and throwing him to the ground as well.
Fiscal depute Kate Scarborough explained to the court that the incident occurred towards the end of the evening when most partygoers were leaving the bar area. McDevitt was asked to leave the premises, and the police were called. Despite being traced and taken into custody, McDevitt made no reply to caution and charge. McDevitt, hailing from Cupar, admitted to assaulting Morris and Bruce at the hotel and expressed regret for his behaviour. In his defence, solicitor Linda Clark stated that McDevitt had consumed alcohol excessively during the delayed Christmas party and had no recollection of the altercation with his colleagues, with whom he previously had a good relationship.
Following the incident, McDevitt reached out to the hotel owner to apologise for the police involvement and subsequently lost his job. As a result of the court proceedings, McDevitt was ordered by Sheriff William Gilchrist to pay £500 in compensation to Mr Morris and £250 to Mr Bruce. Despite the physical repercussions of the altercation, with Morris suffering a sore head and Bruce escaping injury, McDevitt acknowledged his wrongdoing and the consequences it had on his employment status and relationships with his former colleagues.