A transgender castle owner is suing a community council for £20,000 after alleging she was ousted from her vice-chair role in a 'lynch mob' vote. Samantha Kane, 65, claims the Ardgay and District Community Council in Sutherland acted discriminatorily by failing to acknowledge her gender identity.
Kane, who purchased the 19-bedroom Carbisdale Castle in 2022, was voted out of her position in May. She described the meeting as 'pre-determined with the sole purpose of getting me out, which is discriminatory and undemocratic.' The council, she said, harboured 'malice, hatred and discrimination.'
In response, council members accused Kane of behaving 'like a football hooligan' and like a 'six-year-old' during meetings. However, Kane insisted she was denied the chance to address any allegations. The vote saw over 100 attendees unanimously support the insolvency of the community council.
Highland Council declined to comment on the dispute. The case was filed on August 1, but no hearings have yet been scheduled. Kane is seeking damages for 'reputational and financial damage and trauma.'
Kane, born in Iraq as Sam Hashimi, is understood to be the only person in Britain to have undergone gender reassignment three times. She transitioned to Samantha in 1997, then to Charles Kane in 2004, before returning to Samantha in 2018.
