A member of a famous art-dealing family, who owns a Mayfair gallery, banged his girlfriend’s head against the wall of his multi-million pound apartment, a court heard.
Joseph Nahmad, 31, of The Knightsbridge, 199 Knightsbridge, is the latest generation of a powerhouse art-dealing family, who made billions in impressionist and modern art.
He owns Mayfair’s Nahmad Projects gallery in Cork Street.
He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to assaulting Georgia Barry, 20, causing her actual bodily harm, on October 27, last year and March 8, this year at his apartment.
Nahmad pleaded not guilty to similarly inflicting actual bodily harm at elite celebrity hotspot Tape London, 17 Hanover Square, Mayfair between January 31 and February 15, this year.
The prosecution offered no evidence on this charge and Nahmad’s QC William Clegg told the court: ““There was an incident in a nightclub where a scratch and bruise were sustained. Very minor injuries.
“The issue in a trial would be did she go for him or did he go for her? She’s at least on two occasions tried to withdraw all three counts.”
Prosecutor Mr. John Fairhead said the victim insists Nahmad armed himself with and brandished a knife during the second attack.
Ms Barry told police: “He picked up a knife and said: ‘Are you going to say sorry?’ He threw it onto the counter.”
Nahmad has always denied arming himself with a knife during the row and it will not be an issue at sentencing.
“This is in the context of a considerable beating say the Crown, banging her head against a wall,” added Mr. Fairhead.
“Both parties drank to excess and she on two occasions says she was tipsy.”
In a statement Nahmad says: “She was in a consensual, loving relationship that at times became toxic.”
The Knightsbridge is a luxury managed enclave of apartments and mews houses, which surrounds an award-winning landscaped garden and include a luxury spa, valet parking and 24-hour concierge.
Joseph - who once made the Under-30’s Forbes rich list - has a brother Hillel ‘Helly’ Nahmad, who is also a New York gallery owner, as are two of his cousin’s.
He is the son of Beirut-born billionaire art dealer Ezra Nahmad.
Judge Jeffrey Pegden QC bailed Nahmad until August 30 for a pre-sentence and psychiatric report.
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