The butler did it... but magistrates remove his electronic tag so he can continue looking after the Countess anyway

By LUKE SALKELD FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Updated:

By her own account, his breakfasts are to die for. In fact, his scrambled eggs are legendary.

But the Countess of Arran was facing the prospect of months of soggy toast and cereal when her butler got himself into a spot of bother at the local pub.

Having been made the subject of a curfew order for drunkenly attacking a 50-year-old man, Gary Lindley was going to be unable to serve up M'lady's favourite dish. And, clearly, this wouldn't do.

So last week an official appeal was made to have the order lifted so he could go about his duties unimpeded. Incredibly, magistrates agreed that for ' special occasions' it could be.

(file photo) The Earl and Duchess of Arran
(file photo) The Earl and Duchess of Arran

Gary Lindley has been allowed to remove his electronic  tag so he can continue serving the Countess of Arran - including making 'the best scrambled eggs'

Lindley, 34, who once worked as a butler at Buckingham Palace, was ordered to wear an electronic tag after he admitted causing actual bodily harm.

Part of his punishment was to stay at home between 9pm and 9am but he claimed he was often required to stay over for his work at the countess's Castle Hill Estate in Barnstaple, Devon.

He convinced the court the tag was getting in the way of his night duties.

Speaking after the hearing, the countess, the granddaughter of the 5th Earl Fortescue, said she would 'stick by' her employee despite his conviction.

Lady Eleanor said: 'He is the sort of butler a lot of people would like to have. He is extremely hard working and a very good cook. He cooks the best breakfasts every day and the best scrambled eggs.'

Buckingham Palace

Royal role: Lindley started his career as a butler at Buckingham Palace

The countess, who is the 16th generation of her family to live at her 5,000-acre estate after her ancestors arrived in England in 1066 with William the Conqueror, continued: 'Gary has worked for us for more than ten years and we have seen him grow up and get married. He is the most wonderful butler and these things can happen to anyone.'

Lindley, who lives in Brixham, Devon, and worked at Buckingham Palace in the late 1990s, had the three-month curfew imposed in February at Barnstaple Magistrates' Court where he was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to his victim.

Last week, he appeared before magistrates in Torquay to ask permission to remove the tag so he could serve Lady Eleanor and her 70-year-old husband Arthur Gore, the 9th Earl of Arran.

He told the court he had acted out of character when committing the assault in December after being thrown out of a pub.

Magistrates heard that Lindley needed to sleep overnight at the 18th century castle on a number of dates in May which would put him in breach of his curfew hours.

They agreed he could take the tag off during special occasions he was required as a butler but continue to adhere to the sentence at other times.

Lady Eleanor said the work of a modern butler involves 'more than standing in the corner of a room waiting on tables'. She said Lindley's duties included everything from 'making breakfast to driving the countess and earl on appointments'.

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