Brewdog bully boss hints at autism to excuse behaviour

If you haven't heard of BrewDog then it is an extremely successful brewery that began in Scotland and is now world-wide known.  It's sold all over the world and is very popular.

If only the chief of the brand were so popular.  Mr James Watt.  A man who has had complaints levelled against him about how he treats staff and also how staff feel when they are around him.  Even if there were no complaints, his staff do not feel comfortable in his company, with one bar boss making sure his female employees did not have to spend any time with him by making sure there were more males between them and him.

Former Brewdog USA workers said Mr Watt's behaviour made female bartenders feel "uncomfortable" and "powerless".

BBC News

BBC made a documentary about James Watt entitled The Truth about BrewDog which looked at the behaviour of James Watt and allegations made against him.  These are some of the complaints they found.

• Mr Watt was witnessed by staff kissing an intoxicated customer on a roof terrace bar
• Female bartenders were advised how to avoid unwelcome attention from Mr Watt
• Managers would try to schedule certain female staff to be off to avoid Mr Watt's visits
• One bartender said she felt "powerless" to prevent unwelcome attention from Mr Watt
• Mr Watt, while on trips to his US bars, took women on late night private brewery tours, leaving staff feeling uncomfortable
• Mr Watt flirted with a staff member before taking her to the roof of a BrewDog building in view of other staff.

Although I have had a mental breakdown in the past, I have never used it as an excuse for any of my behaviour and I don't think that James Watt will now get away with claiming he might be autistic and it might explain things.  It might, indeed, explain where his mindset is or was, but it doesn't excuse behaviour.  If you have committed a crime, harassed someone, you are responsible for that behaviour whether you like it or not.