A knife-wielding youth who terrified staff and guests at a remote Highland hotel and held six people hostage was jailed for three years yesterday.
Jack Quigley appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court after a background report had been prepared.
But Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told him: “These are extremely serious offences and you are lucky you are appearing before me and not a higher court.”
Quigley was aged 20 when he was given a work placement by the charity, the Venture Trust, at the Hartfield House Hotel in Applecross in Wester Ross.
But when funding for his job ended prematurely in August, it sparked the abductions and violence, the Sheriff was told last month.
Quigley, now aged 21 and from Leith, admitted six charges, the most serious charge involving hotel managers Henry Robertson and Mary McCuish.
He pleaded guilty to abducting them on August 23 this year, assaulting them and detaining them against their will in their office.
He also admitted assaulting four hostel guests by brandishing two knives at them, and illegally possessing the blades.
The court heard Quigley was on four bail orders at the time.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley told the court: “Upon termination of the contract, he left the hotel, got drunk and returned to rampage through the hotel and its grounds for two hours.
“Numerous phone calls were made to the police by the managers and residents who locked themselves inside rooms stating there was a hostage situation at the hotel.
“Both Mr Robertson and his wife were traumatised by the behaviour of Quigley.”
He pushed Mr Robertson and Ms McCuish into their office where they were trapped. Quigley threatened to stab them, threw office equipment and desk contents about the room and repeatedly struck Mr Robertson on the head and body with a roll of duct tape to his injury.
Quigley then grabbed Ms McCuish, who had tried to remove a whisky bottle from his grasp, and wrestled her to the ground before leaving to terrorise the hotel guests.
Police rushed to the location and quickly disarmed and arrested Quigley.
Quigley’s lawyer, Mark Harrower said: “He had done very well in the placement with his work being described as exemplary and was devastated it had come to a premature end.
“He had a problem managing his emotions in situations of stress. He became extremely upset and accepts it must have been terrifying. He has written a letter of apology to the hotel managers.
“On the day he went out with work colleagues, four of whom had just been told they were being made redundant and the mood was sombre.
“He got drunk and when he returned, he confronted Mr Robertson and the events followed. This was not premeditated.”
Venture Trust Chief Executive Officer Amelia Morgan said “said “I express my deep regret at a violent and disturbing incident which put our staff and several members of the public at risk.
“I believe the vulnerability of the accused who at the time was carrying out a community payback order with us, was not properly recognised. Since his offences we have upgraded security at Applecross.
“We will not offer work placements of this type here in the future. But the Trust will remain in contact with Quigley and offer support. ”
Venture Trust offers a chance for change to young people from 16 to 30 years old to gain confidence and leave offending behaviour behind, enabling them to gain the skills to move into education, training or employment.
Hartfield House provides employment and accommodation in Applecross and income from it goes back into the charity’s work.
