A Fife hotel’s head chef, who was permanently disfigured when a customer smashed a kitchen heat lamp over his head, has been awarded £3,000 compensation.
David Brown previously admitted severely injuring Kenneth Penaluna and has now been ordered to pay the £3,000 within the next four weeks.
First offender Brown had been drinking in Drummonds Hotel in Markinch, where Mr Penaluna was working as the head chef, during the day on February 25, 2020.
At a previous hearing, fiscal depute Jamie Hilland told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court Mr Penaluna had only taken on the role a week before.
Assault
As the night progressed and the kitchen was approaching closing time, 31-year-old Brown ordered a steak pie for his girlfriend, who was en route.
Mr Penaluna plated up and sat down for a drink after his shift had finished.
When Brown’s partner arrived at about 9.20pm, she said she did not want the pie.
Mr Penaluna approached and offered to cook her something else.
He was previously known to Brown as someone with whom he had a dispute and he followed the chef into the kitchen.
The court was not told exactly what the row was about but in front of the hotel’s assistant manager, Brown swung a kitchen heat lamp at Mr Penaluna.
It shattered when it hit him.
The metal dome of the lamp struck him on the left eyebrow and left him with a 4cm laceration, which required stitches.
The chef used toilet paper to soak up the blood, before being taken to hospital.
When these were removed, Mr Penaluna was left with a permanent scar.
The chef also sustained a half centimetre cut to the bridge of his nose.
‘One blow’
Brown’s solicitor Alan Jackson said his client, of Muirfield Drive in Glenrothes, had only intended to frighten the chef and never meant to hurt him.
He said: “There are three or four hanging heat lamps and he swings it or pushes it and it hits the man on the face.
“It’s one blow.
“What had happened was, my client had not seen this man for years and years and years.
“He behaves impulsively.
“He’s quite upset. I know he’s very concerned that this had caused a scar.”
Sheriff James Williamson said: “I have to take into account that you appear before the court as a first offender.
“You inflicted a pretty nasty injury on this man.
“That may not be sufficient compensation but I don’t have a way to gauge that.”
