"Seat Rage" Businessman Cleared After Brawl

A respected businessman – accused of “seat rage” at an internet seminar hosted at a top London hotel – was cleared of pummeling a fellow-participant for sitting in his spot.

Shocked organizers pulled 59 year-old Albert Horace Aldridge and Femi Ogunbanji, 31, apart at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, (pictured), Edgware Road, Bayswater, on June 26.

Aldridge, of Foxhollow Drive, Farnham Common, Slough, was found not guilty at City of London Magistrates’ Court of assault despite admitting he was frustrated at seeing his seat occupied after a lunch-break.

Aldridge, CEO of Slough-based A5 Group of Independent Companies, describes himself as a ‘successful and experienced business entrepreneur’ on his web profile.

The father-of-four is the former head of trade associations Consumer Electronics and International Telecom and his sons attended top privates school Merchant Taylors, Middlesex.

“It’s a petty piece of seminar seat rage that got out of hand,” prosecutor Miss Tertia Mackesy told the court. “The victim had taken a seat and the defendant told him he was sitting in his seat. He refused to move and the defendant called him a ‘pompous nigger’.

“The victim threw a cup of water over him and the defendant then threw a cup of coffee over the victim and punched him repeatedly to the back of the head.”

Both men called 999 and both were arrested by police for assault, but when seminar organizers appealed for witnesses none identified Mr. Ogunbanji as the aggressor and three gave evidence against Aldridge.

Mr. Ogunbanji told the magistrates 100 seats were free as Aldridge approached his isle seat. “I sensed he was confrontational and aggressive.

“He told me I was sitting in his seat and called me a pompous nigger. I was stunned and surprised and threw half a cup of water at him and he instantly poured his coffee over me, over my face, my suit and started to punch me.

“It did not stop until one of the organizers dragged him off me,” added Mr. Ogunbanji, estimating 10-15 blows were landed. “If they had not he would not have stopped.”

Aldridge claimed witnesses mistook his defensive pushes for punches, insisting the seat-thief was the aggressor.

“I thought ‘typical, of all the chairs in the hall he is sitting in mine’,” explained Aldridge, claiming he needed to resume the afternoon session in an aisle seat to stretch out his recently injured left leg.

“I said ‘you are sitting in my seat’ and he said ‘do you own the fucking seat. Does it have your fucking name on it?”

Coffee went everywhere in an attempt to ward off Mr. Ogunbanji’s attack, insisted the defendant. “I pushed him when I saw the fist come at me.

“I thought ‘my God Aldridge, he is going to knife you,’ and I pushed him again.”

He denied hurling racist abuse, but admitted witnesses were correct who heard him shouting: “He stole my seat! He stole my seat!” as the pair were split up.

Prosecutor Miss Tertia Mackesy told the court Aldridge was unhappy about being arrested. “He made the counter allegation that he was called a ‘fucking chink’ and kicked.”

Aldridge, whose father is Scottish and mother Chinese told cops he was the victim. “He said he was verbally abused and assaulted and said he was not the aggressor.”

Witnesses claimed Aldridge shouted “son of a bitch” “prat” and “fuck” repeatedly during the fraces.

He told the magistrates he has been invited to be listed in ‘Who’s Who In Business’.

“I am certainly well respected,” said Aldridge.