A knife-wielding man abducted bosses at a remote Highland hostel and held them hostage as he went on a terrifying drunken “rampage”.
Jack Quigley left the managers of the Hartfield House Hostel in Applecross “traumatised” after he abducted them, brandished knives, and attacked one with a roll of duct tape during the two-hour ordeal.
He was warned yesterday that he faced a “significant” jail term when he returns to Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing next month.
Quigley was aged 20 when he was given a work placement by the Venture Trust charity at the youth hostel in Wester Ross.
Funding for his job at the hostel was supposed to continue until October, but it was unexpectedly ended in August – triggering Quigley’s spree of violence.
Quigley, now aged 21 and from Edinburgh, admitted six charges when he appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court before Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood yesterday.
The most serious charge involved hostel managers Henry Robertson and Mary McCuish.
Quigley pleaded guilty to abducting them on August 23, assaulting them and detaining them against their will in their office.
He also admitted assaulting four hostel guests by brandishing two knives at them, as well as 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 hostel, 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.”
The court heard that staff had taken Quigley out for a farewell drink and he got “extremely drunk”.
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.
Sentence was deferred until December 20 for a background report and risk assessment.
But Sheriff Fleetwood told Quigley: “I can see no other alternative to a significant period of custody.”
Quigley’s lawyer, Mark Harrower said: “He had done very well in the placement and was devastated it had come to a premature end.
“He became extremely upset and accepts it must have been terrifying. He has written a letter of apology to the hostel managers.”
Venture Trust Chief Executive Officer Amelia Morgan said: “I express my deep regret at this ‘violent and disturbing incident’ which put staff and members of the public at extreme risk and sadly, was a serious setback to the employment programme being undertaken by the accused.
“We desperately wish the incident at our youth hostel Hartfield House in Applecross had not taken place but we must learn from it and improve.”
Ms Morgan said that the Trust had made changes to their systems as well as upgrading security at the hostel.
She added that the charity would not offer work placements of that type at the hostel in the future, but that the Trust remained in contact with Quigley to offer support.
Venture Trust offers a chance for 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.
