'Lynch mob' council sued by trans castle owner after being voted out of role

A row has erupted between a community council and a transgender castle owner who claims the "lynch mob" authority failed to acknowledge her identity. The owner of the Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland was voted out as vice-chair, and is now seeking £20,000 in damages for alleged discriminatory treatment.

Castle owner Samantha Kane reportedly acted "like a football hooligan" during council meetings, and exhibited behaviour similar to a "six-year-old". However, the 65-year-old has opposed these claims: "The meeting was pre-determined with the sole purpose of getting me out, which is discriminatory and undemocratic." Kane said the assembly was orchestrated by members who harboured "malice, hatred and discrimination" towards her, adding that she was denied the opportunity to address any accusations.

She said: "I have never seen such a lynch mob - all that was missing were the pitchforks."

The vote in May saw over 100 attendees unanimously decide to support the insolvency of Ardgay and District Community Council.

Highland council declined to comment. The council has since opened nominations for new community council positions.

Kane, born in Iraq as Sam Hashimi, is the only person in Britain to have undergone gender reassignment three times. The first transition took place through surgery in 1997, where she became Samantha, then to Charles Kane in 2004. In 2018, Kane returned to Samantha.

The barrister's professional background includes both law and business ventures - in 2000 she led a Saudi consortium's attempt to buy Sheffield United Football Club.

In 2022, she bought the 19-bedroom Scottish castle which was originally built for the Duchess of Sutherland in the late 1800s. It later became a youth hostel for around 60 years.

The castle owner is now demanding the vote in May to be declared void, and is seeking thousands of pounds in damages for "reputational and financial damage and trauma."

Court documents confirm the case was filed on August 1, yet the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service confirmed no hearings have been scheduled at this preliminary phase.