A butler has been given permission to remove his electronic tag - so he can continue to serve a countess with his legendary scrambled eggs.

Gary Lindley, 34, who once served at Buckingham Palace, was made the subject of a curfew order after a drunken brawl in his local pub. 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 of Arran's Castle Hill Estate in Barnstaple, Devon.

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. Speaking after the hearing, the Countess said she would 'stick by' her employee despite his conviction.

The Countess 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." Lindley had the three-month curfew imposed in February at Barnstaple Magistrates' Court where he was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to his victim.

A bar room brawl? Jeeves wouldn't have lowered himself to that level!


It is not worth continuing to ring, madam...

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