A zoo manager from Fife attacked the attraction’s company director and kicked at him on the ground after a row over workplace bullying turned to violence.
Kenneth Gibney has escaped punishment after telling a court he had been bullied and provoked by Michael Knight.
The spectacular fall-out took place inside Fife Zoo as under-fire manager Gibney reacted to being confronted by director and founder Mr Knight.
Mr Knight set up the zoo – in an echo of the Matt Damon movie We Bought A Zoo – with his partner Briony Taylor.
Gibney told the court he is now in a relationship with Ms Taylor.
He lashed out in front of other staff, pushed his boss over and kicked him while he was lying on the ground in the Ladybank animal park.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told Gibney threatened to kill the company director and was ultimately sacked for gross misconduct.
The assault
Fiscal depute Gavin Burton told the court Mr Knight had sought out Gibney “to discuss having a positive working environment”.
He said: “There appeared to be some form of ongoing disciplinary proceedings. The accused became defensive and told the complainer to f**k off.
“He continued to shout and swear at the complainer and was behaving aggressively. The complainer began to record this on his mobile phone.”
Gibney slapped a laptop computer out of Mr Knight’s hands.
Mr Burton said: “He pushed him on the upper body, causing him to fall to the ground. Witnesses intervened and stood between the parties.
“The accused was kicking at the complainer’s feet and said ‘you f***ing idiot, I’m going to f***ing kill you.’ The complainer walked away and contacted police.”
Gibney, 34, whose address was given in court as Fife Zoo, Ladybank, admitted assaulting Michael Knight on February 3 this year by pushing him to the ground and kicking him on the body.
He also admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner “likely to cause fear or alarm” by shouting, swearing, acting aggressively and uttering threats of violence.
Accused claimed to have been ‘antagonised’
Gibney, defending himself in court, said he took out a grievance against Mr Knight and an independent party was brought in to manage the dispute.
However, that person also resigned and Mr Knight became Gibney’s line manager.
He said: “I had a lot of problems. I made a comment about the enclosure being sub-standard and animal welfare concerns. The rest of the staff approached Michael about this.
“He approached me to have what he called a ‘line in the sand’ conversation. He antagonised me in front of the staff I was managing at the time.
“What is missing from his recording is the first part of the conversation. I tried to walk away and he said ‘don’t you dare walk away – I’m your line manager now.’
“That’s when I told him to f**k off. He wouldn’t leave me alone.
“He was continuing to follow me with the laptop. I cleared him away from me by pushing him.”
‘Belittled’
He said he was “belittled” and wanted to have the conversation in private.
“I lost my composure and my professionalism. I no longer work there.
“I was put through a disciplinary procedure and let go for gross misconduct.
“I feel embarrassed I have ended up here in front of you today.
“This isn’t my normal behaviour. This was me being pushed to a point.”
He said his partner remains a director and shareholder of the business but is on sick leave “because of actions taken against her”.
‘Unacceptable and unprofessional’
He said: “I had put my love and passion into this business and had been taken advantage of at a time where I was no longer needed.
“There was about a year’s worth of this type of behaviour towards me. It antagonised me because I knew I had put everything into the business.
“We still live on site so I still have to live this every day.
“I admit the actions I have taken were completely unacceptable and unprofessional.
“Given the circumstances I had been pushed to the absolute limit. Everything has been twisted round to point at me.”
Admonished
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael said: “You have no previous convictions along these lines. I’m going to take the view that what happened was entirely out of character.
“You have presented a very clear and candid mitigation so I’m prepared to assess this as being out of character.
“There’s background provocation of sorts. You will be admonished and that is a warning not to behave this way again.”
The parties declined to comment.
Fife Zoo’s troubled history
Fife Zoo had a troubled start under the new owners.
It was bought in 2015 but Mr Knight and Miss Taylor took nearly two years to get animals on site after a massive crowdfunding appeal.
Its opening day in July 2019 was halted when a car struck a gas canister in a parking area.
Just six days after reopening, on July 5 2020, following the Covid-19 shutdown, the zoo was hit by a massive fire.
A second blaze broke out a year later.
Fife Zoo plans expansion as it bounces back from two devastating fires and Covid-19
