A solicitor, who stopped on the kerb over double yellow lines during the school run, has been convicted of driving at a local parking campaigner, who was taking a photo of him.
Guilty: Bronfentrinker
Solicitor Boris Bronfentrinker, 43, was dropping off one of his two daughters at the Montessori Nursery, Marylebone Lane on January 18, 2019.
He was convicted at Southwark Crown court of driving his Mercedes C350E dangerously towards retired Mayfair entrepreneur Peter Bullen, 70.
Boris Bronfentrinker, who lives in a £1.6m Highgate house in Milton Park was fined £2,500, with £2,000 costs and was ordered to pay £350 compensation to Mr Bullen, the ex-Chairman of the Mayfair & St. James Residents Society.
He was also disqualified from driving for twelve months.
Judge Philip Bartle QC told Bronfentrinker, who may face professional misconduct proceedings: “He was standing in front of your car and you drove at him.
“He would not have known what you intended to do and I’m sure he was scared by what you did.
“My assessment is that you lost your temper. Why didn’t you speak to Mr Bullen and explain that the traffic wardens allow you to park there?
“Why you didn’t speak to him and explain that, I simply do not understand.
“There was this bad feeling between you and on this occasion it erupted in your irritation with Mr Bullen and you drove towards him and as a result he had to jump out of the way.
“I am sure you intended to scare him and you clearly succeeded in doing that, however short it was.”
Campaigner: Peter Bullen
Mr Bullen told the jury, during the four-day trial, he was enjoying his regular early-morning walk: “It was on the footpath, outside the school on double yellow lines.
“I passed this car on a number of occasions and noted it for dangerous parking.”
He told the court father-of-two Bronfentrinker was dismissive of his complaints and shook his hand at him. ‘It was a negative hand gesture that can be interpreted in a couple of ways, a slightly rude gesture.
“He was sitting there in the car on his mobile phone, looking down on his phone. I took my phone out and stood in front of the car on the footpath and lined up my camera to take a picture.
“As I took the photograph I realised the car was accelerating towards me without making a sound and there was no horn.
“I was rather taken aback and realised it wasn’t going to turn away so I jumped to one side to avoid it hitting me.
“I was more concerned about getting out of the way than judging speed. I am lucky am a sportsman, an ex-sportsman so my reactions are pretty good.
“I could feel the wind of it as it passed rustling my tracksuit bottoms.
“My hand was shaking, I was glad not to have been hit.
“It could have been a lot worse for me than just walking away. I believe I would have been hit.”
He told the solicitor that he was going to report his parking to Westminster Council because he was fed up with the “anti-social” behaviour of motorists in the area.
“The road was narrow and everyone parks on the pavement. I am an active member of the local community and we have had problems with anti-social behaviour of drivers’ parking on the footpath.
“Wheelchair users and people with pushchairs have to go out into the road”, he complained.
“For someone who was a long jumper and a high jumper I know how to move out of the way.”
He denied a suggestions from defence QC Patrick Gibbs that he deliberately exaggerated his movements to make a bigger issue of the incident.
“For me to move I had to jump out of the way to avoid getting struck.
“I was disappointed the police did not pursue a charge of attempted grievous bodily harm, which is what he was originally charged with.
“I am just delighted that I am still in one piece.”
Denying another defence suggestion he was a “scary” individual, who regularly raised his voice at local drivers he said: “I wear a long black coat sometimes and sunglasses and I’ve got long hair and sometimes wear a tracksuit, maybe that is scary, but that is what I wear.”
Bronfentrinker, who is an expert in complex commercial litigation with Holborn law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan was later questioned by police.
Prosecutor Mr Nick Wells told the jury: “He said the road was narrow and everyone parked on the pavement. He said the local parking officers were okay with him parking there.
“He said Mr Bullen was annoyed that he ignored him that day. He said he had driven normally from the pavement to the road and the way Mr Bullen stepped away was an exaggeration to make something of the incident.”
Bronfentrinker is the co-head of the firm’s Competition Litigation Practice and has represented clients at the High Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Industry publication ‘Who’s Who Legal’ named Bronfentrinker, a law graduate from King’s College London, a Global Elite and Thought Leader.
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