Scotland’s biggest independent grant-making charity will be ordered to pay damages to its former chief executive after a tribunal ruled that he was discriminated against for opposing same-sex marriage.

Kenneth Ferguson, an elder and treasurer with the Free Church of Scotland, took legal action against the Robertson Trust, arguing he was unfairly dismissed because of his religious beliefs.

The charity gives away £20 million a year, distributing dividends from its controlling stake in Edrington, which owns the whisky brands Macallan and the Famous Grouse.

The employment tribunal heard that Shonaig Macpherson, the trust’s chairwoman, had been “incandescent” with anger to learn that one of its venues had been booked by the Stirling Free Church, which opposes abortion and same-sex weddings.

Macpherson, strongly denied that Ferguson’s dismissal had been motivated by her objection to his  religious views.

However, the hearing concluded that her testimony was “not sufficiently reliable”.