Drunken Tailor: Italian Design Expert Sentenced For Mayfair Assault

Cut Up Rough: Benettello

A master tailor, who has worked with the world’s leading designer brands, has been sentenced for repeatedly bashing his ex-girlfriend’s head on the pavement outside a luxury five-star Mayfair hotel.

Richard Benettello, 41, was seen on top of 37 year-old Solankhe Tchikaya, 37, holding her by the hair and banging her head before being dragged away by the hotel’s security staff. 

“It was a serious offence and we have been told there were no injuries, but it was a very nasty attack,” magistrate Dr. Lynne Gailey told him.

Benettello, who has worked with Giorgio Armani; Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry claims they were both drunk after eating and drinking at a landmark Peruvian restaurant and he was guilty of nothing more than “excessive self-defence.”

He pleaded guilty to assaulting the graduate marketing and communications specialist outside The Athenaeum, Piccadilly on May 27, last year.

Benettello, of Fulham Road, West Brompton was placed on a twelve-month Community Order, which includes a ten-day recommended activity requirement, plus attendance at a ‘building better relationships’ course.

He must also pay £775 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

The magistrates scrapped a £100 compensation award to Ms Tchikaya, of Munster Road, Fulham because she did not support the prosecution and they had no details for her.

Benettello says they once dated, but were simply dining as “friends” at the nearby COYA Mayfair restaurant, which they left at half past midnight.

Prosecutor Jennifer Gatland told Westminster Magistrates’ Court Benettello had initially fought the charge and only pleaded guilty on the day of his trial, for which Ms Tchikaya was a defence witness. 

“Police were called to a report of a man hitting a woman in Piccadilly. The complainant was this defendant’s partner and witnesses heard screaming,” she said.

COYA Mayfair manager Filomena Clarizio later told police: “I heard a scream and thought there was a fight by the hotel.

“I noticed a couple and the male was on top. He had hold of her and was smashing her head on the ground.

Kept Schtum: Tchikaya

“Security pulled the male off the female, but he kept returning. The female went into the hotel and then I saw the male with the officers with blood on his hands.”

The blood was not Ms Tchikaya’s and she had no injuries, the court heard.

Ms Tchikaya told the witnesses: “He gets like that when he is upset,” and Benettello said: “I did nothing.” 

“This is clearly a serious and nasty assault that took place,” added the prosecutor. “Serious enough for members of the public to voice their concerns and call the police.”

The court heard Benettello received twenty-six weeks imprisonment last December for boarding an airplane while drunk and assaulting three cabin crew.

“There is a background of police involvement with this couple and there were a number of incidents in 2019 that did not result in a charge,” said Ms Gatland.

“On one occasion the defendant was threatening to harm the complainant, screaming at the top of his voice and kicking dustbins in the street.

“In 2018 there was an argument in the street and another incident when he attended her address, having been discharged from hospital.

“The victim was not willing to support any prosecution, including this one.”

Benettello’s lawyer Milad Shojaei said: “She was a defence witness and did not support the prosecution at the time. They were not in a relationship at the time of the incident and were just friends.

“He is a fashion stylist and master tailor and had been working in Saudi Arabia and came to the UK on a visit when he was arrested for this and has been in limbo for the last fourteen months.

“His employer is keeping his job open, but he has no financial support or any means of earning for the last fourteen months and has burned through his savings and borrowed from family and friends and can no longer pay his rent.

“He has had some very dark times and has been feeling suicidal during the last fourteen months.

“Mr Benettello has been going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, twice a day, for the last year to address his own offending behaviour and has been sober for the last thirteen months.

“He accepts there was excessive self-defence when they were intoxicated and they had a stumble.

“He accepts he behaved excessively. The paramedics confirm there were no injuries to her head and the blood was the defendant’s.”