NOT GUILTY: Actor Cleared Of Gay Sauna Spit Charges

Free Man: Hogas

A Romanian actor, accused of spitting in the faces of a customer and security guard at a gay sauna during a row over legal sex drug 'poppers', has been acquitted after they failed to turn up for the trial.

Cristinel Hogas, 38, best-known for US-funded multi-million dollar horror-thriller 'Slaughter' and drama 'Verity's Summer' was due to stand trial at Camberwell Magistrates Court today, where not guilty verdicts were entered.

Unsurprisingly he played his fictitious fellow-countryman Count Dracula in a Romanian Cultural Centre's production of the story at north London's Lion and Unicorn Theatre.

National University of Theatre and Film-graduate Hogas, of Dennington Park Road, West Hampstead was a customer at the landmark Chariots Spa, Vauxhall where he was accused of the offences.

He always denied the charges and was cleared of assaulting Hardeep Singh and security guard Patrick Tracey at the sauna on June 11.

Prosecutor Miss Binita Roscoe told the court: “He approached Mr. Singh and there was a conversation regarding poppers, with Mr. Hogas asking: “Can you get me some poppers?'

“Mr. Singh replied: 'No' and the defendant spat in his face twice.

Vauxhall's Chariots Sauna

“Mr. Tracey got involved because he is the security officer at the sauna and he asked the defendant to leave the premises.

“He refused and spat in Mr. Tracey's face.”


Hogas's lawyer told the court the actor was taking prescription medication for depression and anxiety and has mental health issues.