A masterchef contestant has been convicted of assaulting his wife and causing her to plunge down a flight of stairs after a drink-fuelled row.
Lewis Donegan, 34, who cooked lunch for the Queen and appeared TV's MasterChef : The Professionals, was found guilty of domestic assault yesterday following a trial at Perth Sheriff Court.
Police officers were scrambled to his home in Inchture, Tayside, after a "dropped" 999 call, just before 11pm on March 10, 2021.
Wife Sinead, 32, made the silent call to emergency services after she was left injured and bruised at the bottom of her staircase.
Donegan was cleared of a further allegation he had assaulted his wife a few days earlier by striking her on the head.
Sinead told the court that she had been drinking at the family home in Colonsay Gardens, Inchture.
She said she followed her husband upstairs and they argued on the landing.
"There was screaming about something," she said. "I can't remember what the disagreement was about.
"Then there was a shove, and I ended up downstairs."
She was shown a police photo of her bruised elbow, which she confirmed was a result of her fall.
Sinead told the trial she dialled 999, but hung up.
"It was quite a serious thing to phone the police and I just didn't want any trouble," she said.
Officers arrived just before 11pm. PC Sean Robertson, 28, told the court there were signs of a disturbance in the home and that Sinead was bruised and distressed.
He said Donegan was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault and taken to Perth Police Station for questioning.
In his interview, Donegan told investigators: "She pushed me, and I pushed her back.
"I shoved her and as a result of that, she fell down the stairs."
Asked how it felt to have caused injury to his wife, Donegan replied: "Terrible."
The court heard that the couple had reconciled and were back living together.
Solicitor Theo Finlay said: "He has no previous convictions and has never been in trouble before.
"It goes without saying this is a highly regrettable incident. But I think it is fair to say, there will never be a repetition of this."
Sheriff Neil Bowie told Donegan: "It may not have been your intent to cause your wife to fall down the stairs, but I am satisfied it was your intention to physically assault her.
"She was intoxicated and it would not have been difficult for her to lose her footing."
He deferred sentence for six months for Donegan to prove he can stay out of trouble.
The Dundee Cooking Academy opened in 2019, offering guests a variety of cooking classes led by head chef tutor Donegan.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
