By Eric King-
Matthew Feargrieve leaves Westminster Magistrates after being punching a man.
A solicitor has been ordered to pay a total of £500 in compensation to a fashion designer whom he punched during an argument over a front row seat at an opera.
Shamed Matthew Feargrieve, 43, was found guilty in December of assaulting Ulrich Engler at least once while attending a performance of Wagner at the Royal Opera House on October 7, 2018.
The investment funds lawyer attacked Mr Engler with “a constant flow of blows” after the designer went into an empty seat next to Feargrieve’s partner, Catherine Chandler and moved her coat. The lawyer was offended by the action.
Sentencing Feargrieve at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, District Judge John Zani said the defendant used “excessive force” during the attack.
He said: “You really should not have behaved in the way you did. In my view you lost your temper.
“It was excessive. It should not have happened. You are an experienced, professional man and you should know how to behave. According to Mr Engler’s account, he had moved into an empty chair in row A from his seat in row B at the London venue three days earlier, and did so again on October 7.
Mr Engler said he asked Ms Chandler if he could sit in the vacant seat next to her and if she had purchased it. When she responded no to both questions, he moved into the seat, moving Ms Chandler’s coat and putting it on her lap.
Feargrieve then “lashed out” and punched Mr Engler at least once, the court heard.
Mr Engler was banned by the opera house over the incident, though the ban was eventually revoked. He claimed to have later been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and said the assault had affected his creative abilities as a designer.
But Lisa Wilding QC, defending Feargrieve, argued on Wednesday there was a lack of evidence to show the PTSD was caused by the assault.
Image: PA