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| Accused: Lyons |
Two feuding property tycoons had to be separated at a Mayfair nightspot when one repeatedly thumped the other, claiming he’d been called a: “Lying shyster jew,” a court heard yesterday.
Giles Cyril Patrick Mackay, 56, had a police harassment notice against 38 year-old Simon Lyons, who was caught on CCTV swinging a blow after midnight at Dover Street’s MNKY HSE.
Mr. Mackay, who founded property analytics company Hometrack, reportedly sold to Zoopla for £120m last year and is also a House of Commons advisor says he was attacked after greeting Lyons’ girlfriend Andrea.
“We kissed each other on both cheeks and the next thing I know I’m hit by Simon,” he told City of London Magistrates Court. “I was not expecting to have Simon leaping around the table and smacking me in the face.”
Lyons, of New Cavendish Street denies assaulting Mr. Mackay on October 7, last year, claiming he was acting in self-defence.
He is the the joint chief executive of Enstar Capital, the company behind the development of 54 Brooks Mews, Mayfair, London’s most expensive-ever commercial per-square foot re-fit when completed for £4m three years ago.
The pair had exchanged angry emails after becoming embroiled in family proceedings at the High Court, involving Lyons and his ex.
Mr. Mackay told the court: “I was distressed that someone I thought was normal, affable and friendly was something else. I was not the behaviour of a normal individual”
He went to the police, who issued the order, and he admits replying to Lyons in emails: “You’re f***ing crazy.” “Shut the f*** up.” “You are a bully a coward.” “You made vile, venomous, unwarranted attacks on me.” “Piss off, you’re mad.”
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| Mackay: "I was being hit in the face." |
He was drinking his second vodka and standing in a dance area at the Latin American restaurant when struck and told police afterwards: “He punched me in the face and continued to violently attack me until he was pulled away by the security guards and ejected.”
Mr. Mackay told the trial: “He first hit me across the table and then he came around the table. I think he did run around the table.
“I had a notice that he should not harass me or come anywhere near me if we were in the same place.
“All of a sudden I saw him leap up from where he was. He pushed past his girlfriend Andrea, pushed her over the table.
“The next thing I know I was being hit in the face. Everything that was on the table got knocked off.
“He came around to my side of the table and was very aggressive by this point.
“I was hit at least three times by Simon. I remember putting my leg up to try and defend myself.”
Mr. Mackay told the court he was the victim of “one-way harassment” by Lyons and did not know he was there that night until attacked.
However, Lyons claims Mr. Mackay instigated the conflict and told Andrea: “Get Simon out of my face,” before approaching and making the insulting anti-semitic remark.
“At no time did I say that,” insisted Mr. Mackay. “I’m not interested in getting into a conflict, I’m fifty-eight, I’m a serious businessman.
“I was not looking to get into a fight. I was attempting to defend myself.”
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| Fighting Charge: Lyons |
Lyons’ legal team dug up a High Court judge’s remark from a 2012 civil cases in which he said Mr. Mackay was “careless with the truth.”
The restaurant’s CCTV of the incident was circulated by Mr. Mackay. “I knew he was sending it around to everybody, it was a campaign to discredit me,” Lyons told the court.
He claimed it seemed Mr. Mackay was planning something that night. “He was texting people. I was scared for my life. To be honest I don’t know what Mr. Mackay was capable of.
“He came charging into the place. I was scared, I wasn’t expecting to see him.
“I’ve never seen anyone’s eyes like that before. I’ve never been so frightened in my life.
“I thought he was going to come at me. I was not being paranoid, I thought I was going to be attacked.”
Regarding the alleged anti-semitic insult Lyons added: “It was the venom, the way he said it. I thought he was going to go for me and I used what I thought was a necessary method to restrain him.”
After landing the initial blow the CCTV captures Mr. Mackay raising his left leg while seated to ward off Lyons, who then starts leaning over him pointing.
“I’m telling him: ‘Lave me alone. Please leave me alone.’ I was scared, I was terrified of what he would do.
“He was being very menacing up to that. He said he was going to have my child taken away from me.”
When quizzed by police Lyons suggested the insulting remark may have been prompted by Mackay’s opinion of financial disclosures he (Lyons) had to make in the Family Court.
“I possibly stupidly slapped Mr. Mackay and he kicked me and I slapped him again and he hit me,” he told the officers.
“I do regret slapping Mr. Mackay. I don’t go around hitting people and his kick was a lot harder than the slap.
“His eyes were mad. He looked crazed, like he’d taken drugs.”
Six-feet plus Lyons, who works out daily added: “If I hit him he ‘aint getting up after that.
“I firmly believe Mr. Mackay will be seen as a racist. It was total provocation.
Trial continues…………
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