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The daughter of MAS*H star Sally Kellerman is using Scottish taxpayers' cash to fund her legal battle against an Outer Hebrides charity for refusing to allow her dog in a cafe.
US-born Claire Kellerman – whose late aunt and adoptive mother played Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan in the original 1970s film – has raised a case against Bernera Community Association alleging that their volunteer-run cafe wouldn't allow her disability service dog inside.
The 62-year-old originally took action against another charity, Bernera Community Development Trust, but after running up legal costs of £7,000 her lawyers had to admit they took action against the wrong charity which had nothing to do with the cafe.
Costs were awarded to the charity through Scottish Legal Aid meaning Ms Kellerman, who arrived on the island around four years ago, did not have to pay any of the £7,000 herself.
Her lawyers then amended their claim to sue the cafe's actual voluntary operators Bernera Community Association for £10,000 via Glasgow's publicly-funded Ethnic Minorities Law Centre.
The charity is already relying on the money it makes through fundraising and said it faces bankruptcy if the legal costs continue to grow in the already year-long dispute.
There was a hearing at Stornoway Sheriff Court last week where the case has been set for legal debate in December.
In a LinkedIn post Ms Kellerman wrote: 'I live by the guidance that follows my prayers, asking always; how can I be of Sacred Service? I am grateful to be encouraged by the many individuals who have been harmed the past decade on Bernera.'
Actress Sally Kellerman and her niece and adoptive daughter Claire Kellerman pictured together in 1999
Claire Kellerman is thought to have arrived on the island on Bernera in Scotland's Outer Hebrides around four years ago (stock image)
Sally Kellerman played Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan in the original 1970s MAS*H film
She said she is 'profoundly honoured' for the 'opportunity' and for her 'vibrant, robust legal team' who are helping her to expose the 'normalization of abuses on the Isle of Great Bernera, in the Bernera Community Cafe'.
Ms Kellerman, who describes herself as former Regenerative Farming Community Designer, said those 'abuses' include 'exclusion, collective harassment, shaming, ostracization, wrongful blaming, illegal discrimination and victimization' by directors and members of The Bernera Community Association.
She added: 'They act self-righteously abusing, harassing, targeting and illegally discriminating against income.'
She described the environment the charity had created for those who are disabled with assistance dogs as 'vile' with 'intentional, targeted hostility', blaming this on their 'ignorance, and unwillingness to welcome all equally'.
Ms Kellerman wants the legal action and its outcomes to invite 'justice' and 'spiritual growth' to the charity members and for it to 'enhance their capacity to understand and end their ongoing, wrongfully defended abuses of the Equality and Human Rights Act of 2010'.
Labour MSP Donald Mackinnon has written to the Scottish Legal Aid Board urging it to 'urgently review' its funding of the case because of the potential damage to its reputation.
He said the case 'raises broader concerns about the safeguards applied when public funds are used to support litigation'.
Speaking to the Scottish Daily Express, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser called the story 'absolutely appalling'.
He said it will make taxpayers wonder why their money was paying the legal bills in such a case, 'especially when the complainant appears to have significant assets'.
The Daily Mail has approached Ms Kellerman, The Ethnic Minorities Law Centre and Bernera Community Association for comment.