Ahmed Al Sanawi, 35, lost his temper during a row at Grappelli Italian restaurant Cobham, near Chelsea FC’s training ground, where he trimmed the locks of stars including John Terry, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard.
This led to the £90,000-a year crimper’s introduction to footballers including Paul Pogba; Kylian Mbappe; Erling Haaland; Jack Grealish and Reece James - all customers of the barber.
At Guildford Magistrates’ Court last week married Al Sanawi, who lives in a £950,000 Cobham property when he is not also cutting hair in Dubai, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on November 1, 2024.
He also pleaded guilty to driving in excess of the alcohol limit with 129mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80.
The court heard trouble began around midnight when Al Sanawi got into a heated row with his sister-in-law’s partner, Connor Barbury and jumped behind the wheel of his powerful four-litre SUV-style vehicle.
“Both this defendant and Mr Barbury were driving alongside each other, stopping and then driving again and when Mr Al Sanawi attempted a U-turn he hit his sister-in-law’s car,” said prosecutor Ms Sophie Childs.
“She had been trying to reverse and this led to a physical altercation and Mr Al Sanawi got out as people tried to break things up.
“The children were very, very distressed at this point and even the restaurant staff were trying to help and the police received reports of him driving very dangerously in the High Street.
“He was swerving in between cars at high speed, drove on the pavement and stopped in front of Mr Barbury when there was another verbal dispute with people filming this.”
The court heard the men exchanged blows and police said the “highly intoxicated” Al Sanawi had a bloody nose and bruised face when they eventually arrested him.
There was also a fight between Al Sanawi’s wife Tanya and her sister.
“Mr Barbury returned to the restaurant and the defendant drove along the pavement in front of the restaurant,” added the prosecutor.
“He drove off down Cobham High Street and the police attended at 12.40am and stopped him.
“There was damage to both the mens’ faces because they were fighting.
“The offence included speeding along the pavement, disregarding the risk to others, stopping multiple times and carrying out highly-dangerous manoeuvres all while impaired by alcohol.”
Al Sanawi’s lawyer Ralph Pickering told the court: “There was no driving alongside each other and no damage to any vehicles.”
The court heard Iraqi-born Al Sanawi is the face of his business - ‘A Star Barbers’, located in Chessington, south-west London.
“He knows how serious it is and realises he has to face the consequences,” added Mr Pickering. “My aim is to persuade the court not to send him to prison today.
“He has built a successful business, hairdressing and styling and he has built his business from the ground up and is the face of the business, with the financial backing from a Sheikh in Dubai.
“This is a hardworking, responsible, loving, supportive man and it was an act completely out of character,” added the lawyer, saying Al Sanawi used his high-profile to raise over £200,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“This was not Mr Al Sanawi at his best. In fact, it was one of the worst days of his life.
“He feels guilt and shame at letting his family down so badly and has received medical attention for anxiety.
“The events were short-lived and Mr Al Sanawi came off the worst from the physical altercation,” said Mr Pickering. “He received injuries, having been punched multiple times and was confused and scared for his family.
“Those were the primary drivers for his behaviour that evening.
“He knows what he did was wrong and nobody feels more regret than him and he is deserving of a second chance. He is terrified of the prospect of imprisonment.”
Al Sanawi was sentenced to 200 hours community service work; fined £1,207, with £85 costs, plus a £114 victim surcharge and disqualified from driving for twelve months.
“It is two really serious offences, aggravated by the presence of children and members of the public were so scared they called 999,” announced bench chairwoman Louise Tyrrell.
“However, these are your first offences, you have pleaded guilty, you have a clean driving record and you have demonstrated remorse.”
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