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| Cleared: Jefferson Alves Brito |
A former model agency boss, accused of a naked drunken rampage in a tycoon’s £2m Knightsbridge flat, has been cleared by a judge who condemned the police and Crown Prosecution Service.
Jefferson Alves Brito, 33, was said to have downed vodka direct from the bottle while demanding food from the housekeeper, who was so scared she called her husband to the address.
Brito, of Academy Place, Isleworth always denied shoving the housekeeper and pushing a kitchen table into her husband at the Cadogan Square flat on September 21, last year.
He was found not guilty of assaulting Mrs Dinka Stoyanova and Mr Borislav Stoyanova by District Judge Angus Hamilton, who announced: “This trial has descended into a farce.”
Brazil-born Brito is the former director of a dissolved company called Dashingmodels Ltd.
The alleged victims struggled to understand prosecution questions and gave no incriminating evidence against Brito.
The owner of the property, Elie Taktouk, had originally accused Brito of destroying high-end property at the address, but this was dropped at the defendant's first Crown Court appearance.
Police investigating the complaint confirmed both witnesses had a good grasp of the English language, but there was no evidence of this during the trial.
Both witnesses had no interpreter to assist them and struggled to understand prosecutor Angela O’Dwyer’s questions at Hendon Magistrates Court.
Brito was also originally charged with causing £42,000 worth of damage to 5 paintings; 2 statues; glassware; candle holders; flooring; rugs; clothing and a mattress belonging to businessman Elie Taktouk.
This charge was dropped at Isleworth Crown Court, but the CPS continued with the assault charges, with the police officer in charge failing to note the complainants had issues with the english language.
“Nothing that has been said would allow me to convict Mr Brito,” said DJ Hamilton after hearing the confused evidence. “The blame lies entirely with the police and prosecution here.
“The questions were met with utter incomprehension. This is totally unsatisfactory that the case is in this state.
“I am never going to be sure two assaults were committed.
“I am very unhappy. This case emphasises everything that is currently wrong with the criminal justice system and that an officer says Mrs Stoyanova’s english is adequate is astonishing.”
Earlier Ms O’Dwyer said: “The defendant pushed a chair and kitchen table into the husband, contacting his chin, chest and stomach and she was later pushed.”
Mr Stoyanova told the court: “He was naked, drunk and threw glass on the floor and was drinking vodka from the bottle and he was so aggressive, swearing all the time.
“He took a picture from the wall, put it on the bed and tried to jump on it,” he added, failing to give any evidence of the assault allegation.
Mrs Stoyanova said trouble continued for 5-6 hours up to around 10pm. “He put pictures on the sofa and wanted to jump on top and took a knife and wanted to scratch them.”
She claimed Brito pushed her ”two or three times,” but described it as nothing more than gently placing his hands on her shoulders, which DJ Hamilton ruled couldn’t be disproved as self-defence by the defendant.
“I am horrified that people who say they are victims of crime have been let down by the CPS and the police,” said the judge. “This case is a horrifying mess on anyones opinion.
“It is in such a woeful state the only option is to dismiss both matters. I can never be sure these people were assaulted.
“I am complaining that I cannot judge this case on its merits. It is ridiculous that statement was taken in a manner that suggested she spoke english.
“When you get this day in and day out it gets to you after a while and victims of crime are not getting a fair hearing. It is annoying and nobody takes responsibility.”
He asked the prosecutor to communicate his feelings to the CPS.
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