Drunken City Trader Assaulted Wife And Stepson

A City commodities trader, who beat his wife and stepson during a violent drunken row, was told by a judge yesterday: "You are not the sort of defendant I normally see at this court."

Laurent Weinberger, 45, is now banned from going anywhere near his £1m six-bedroom house - which he still pays all the bills for - and has moved in with his parents.

"You are an otherwise perfectly respectable businessman and financial advisor," Wood Green Crown Court Judge Nicholas Browne QC told £115,000 a year Weinberger, who is now subject to a strict restraining order.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife of six years, Sarah Weinberger, 41, and his stepson Matthew Davies, 22, at the family home in Brockley Avenue, Stanmore, in the heart of the North London Jewish community, on June 3.

"You used violence and you hit your stepson, causing him a bloody nose, and when your wife became involved you hit out at her and she suffered some bruising," Judge Browne told the defendant.

"This relationship has brought you into conflict with the criminal law, whether it was drink, stress or simply that you were not right for each other and it is best that you separate in the most civilised way possible.

"You and she were living in conflict with each other, with frequent rows, and it all blew up in early June as I have heard."

The court heard Weinberger (pictured) was cautioned by police in July, last year for assaulting his wife and was convicted of drink-driving in October, 2007.

"The relationship was deteriorating and they were in separate bedrooms and had been to counselling," said prosecutor Mr. David Smith. "The defendant, we would say, had a drink problem.

"There had been an argument the day before and the defendant, in drink, brought it up the next morning.

"Having assaulted the stepson, who was left with a bloody nose, he then assaulted his wife."

As business development director Mrs Weinberger tried to call 999 the defendant violently snatched the phone out of her grasp, causing the back of her head, arm and hand to slam against a wall.

She told the court: "I was bruised to my arm, my wrist and the back of my head. I went to my private doctor and did not go to work for a month.

"I am struggling with no money coming in from anywhere, I am maxed to the limit and friends are helping me financially. We sold one of our cars to pay legal bills."

The court heard a recording of the 999 call in which Weinberger told the operator: "My stepson just punched me in the head."

His wife could be heard in the background screaming: "You liar! You punched him first," and Weinberger told the operator: "I swear I never touched him. He hit me first."

Mr Smith added: "He was heavily under the influence of alcohol. That was obvious to the police when they arrived."

The court heard police had been called to the house, also home to Matthew's twin brother Adam and a younger 16 year-old sibling two or three times in relation to domestic abuse.

Weinberger's lawyer Miss Dee Connolly said: "This was a tempestuous relationship and his wife, has herself, been convicted of drink-driving and dealt with by the police for wasting police time on a previous occasion.

"He has been under tremendous stress awaiting today and has received counselling for his drinking and has an ulcer caused by stress.

"That house was bought by him and there has been no financial contribution towards it by Sarah Weinberger, but she lives there and he lives with his parents."

Weinberger, who has two children, aged 19 and 20, from a previous relationship was fined £100 on each assault and ordered to pay £500 compensation to Sarah and £200 compensation to Matthew.

"The main problem here is alcohol, which has led to incidents of domestic violence in the past," announced Judge Browne, who made a two-year restraining order.

Weinberger is now prohibited from going within 500 metres of his former family home, 50 metres of his wife's Mill Hill office and is not allowed to contact her, her immediate family or his stepsons directly or via telephone, text, email or other media.