Son Of Lord Gowrie Denies Throwing Teenage Girlfriend Out Of House

Court Date: Ruthven

The middle-aged aristocratic son of former Tory minister Lord Gowrie picked-up his petite 19 year-old girlfriend and flung her from his Notting Hill flat, a court heard. 

Brer Ruthven, 54, - Viscount Ruthven of Canberra - of Crosfield House, Mary Place, denies assaulting Lola Tyrrell on August 5 and will stand trial on October 4.

Brer is heir to the peerage title Baron Ruthven of Gowrie in the county of Perth and he has one son, Hon. Heathcote Patrick Cornelius Hore-Ruthven, 28.

His father, Lord Gowrie, 78, is the former Chairman of Sotheby’s and the Art Council of England and was a member of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet as Minister of State for the Arts between 1983 and 1985.

Prosecutor Miss Katie Bryan told Westminster Magistrates Court: “At the time of this incident the complainant and defendant were in a relationship and in the process of separating.”

They met in January, last year at east London’s hip Whitechapel Gallery and, according to Leeds native Ms Tyrrell, hit it off immediately, with shared interests in films, art and fashion.

The couple were at Ruthven’s flat when a row over cooking tongs broke out between 9.30pm and 10.00pm.

“An argument took place over a pair of tongs the the complainant wanted to use while cooking dinner, because Mr. Ruthven said they were new.

“He started shouting and and told her to use a fork and that she would have to do all the washing up.

In Court: Lola 

“He went into the bedroom and started packing some of her clothes into a suitcase and told her to take it to her place because he needed the room.”

They sat down to eat, but Ms Tyrrell says Brer was still shouting at her, accusing her of having a “shitty attitude,” the court heard.

“He continued to shout at her and and she describes him as: ‘flipping out’ and picking her up with one arm under her body and the other around her  and taking her to the door and flinging her into the street,” added Miss Bryan.

“She was hardly dressed and had little in clothing and knocked on the kitchen window.

“She told him she was going to call the police and he told her to: ‘F*** off’.”

When police arrived Ruthven told the officers: “I dragged her out of the house. I did not hurt her. We are in the process of splitting up and she can’t handle it.”

Ms Terrell will give evidence behind a screen at Hendon Magistrates Court. She told police: “I don’t know what he’s capable of because he has such a short fuse. He belittles me a lot.”

Happier Times: Lola & Brer

Ruthven was bailed on condition he does not contact Ms Tyrrell and his lawyer Mr. Rory Laide told the court: “There have been posts on social media in derogatory terms concerning Mr. Ruthven.

“He has reported them to the police.”

Brer was educated at private £39,000-per year Westminster School and is currently employed by City law firm Clyde & Co as a database developer.

He is a musician with the band Melanchodelia and recently opened his local Portobello Music Festival.