Woman ‘is glassed in catfight’ at elite club in Mayfair
TWO women clashed in a violent spat on the dance floor of an exclusive club, leaving one needing plastic surgery after being ‘glassed’ in the face, a court heard.
Olga Shnayder had a glass shard embedded in her cheek following the clash with Joanne Zanetton, which was sparked as they bumped into each other while dancing.
Miss Shnayder claims she required a ‘nose job’ to repair the injuries she suffered, alleging that Zanetton had deliberately swung the glass into her face at the club in London.
She lodged a compensation claim for £19,000 to cover her medical bills, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Zanetton, 38, denies attacking Miss Shnayder, saying the injuries occurred accidentally as she tried to defend herself.
CCTV footage from inside the Arts Club in Mayfair, where membership costs £ 2,000 a year, showed how the fight broke out in the early hours of a Sunday in November last year.
The two women bumped into each other several times as they danced. The prosecution has said that Miss Shnayder grabbed her rival by the hair and struck her.
She told the jury she had finally ‘nudged’ Zanetton with her elbow because she had repeatedly stood on her foot. Zanetton had come back to find her and had a glass in her hand.
‘If she just left, it would not have happened. But she decided to slap me directly in my face and punch me,’ Miss Shnayder said. ‘She did it deliberately. She hit me with great strength with the glass.’
Jane Bickerstaff QC, defending Zanetton, who is now pregnant, suggested the incident was sparked by Miss Shnayder elbowing Zanetton hard, causing her to stumble backwards.
Asked what she did when Zanetton pushed her in retaliayou tion, Miss Shnayder conceded: ‘It looks like I am pulling her hair.’ Miss Bickerstaff continued: ‘And punching her on the top of the head?’ Miss Shnayder replied: ‘No, I didn’t punch her.’
The barrister told her: ‘I suggest that in fact you were the aggressor during this incident and the other female was the one defending herself.’
Miss Shnayder said she required surgery to remove a piece of glass from her cheek as a result of the incident. She was referred to Northwick Park Hospital in North West London to be treated by ‘the best plastic surgeon in the country’ before flying to the US for treatment. She denied filling out a compensation claim form for $24,765 (£19,000) in medical bills.
Miss Bickerstaff asked: ‘Have
‘She hit me with great strength’
or have you not completed a compensation claim for in excess of £ 19,000?’ Miss Shnayder insisted: ‘I didn’t complete any compensation claim.’
She said she merely complained to the hospital about having glass stitched into her face.
Miss Shnayder was shown a document which was apparently attached to the form detailing ‘scar remediation’ as well as ‘revision rhinoplasty’.
‘Should we understand you went to America and had some remedial work on your scar and had what is colloquially known as a nose job and that is what is billed for – is that right?’ asked Miss Bickerstaff.
Miss Shnayder said she needed surgery to her nose in order to ‘fix my face’, adding: ‘I needed it to be fixed urgently.’
Zanetton, of Kensington, West London denies inflicting grievous harm and unlawful wounding. She told police she had been trying to throw the contents of the glass over Miss Shnayder. The trial continues.
The Arts Club was founded in 1863 for lovers of the arts, science and literature. Past members include Charles Dickens and sculptor Auguste Rodin.
It occupies a sprawling Mayfair townhouse complex and has a brasserie, garden, terrace, drawing rooms, basement music room and art collection.
The club is a favourite haunt of celebrities including Beyonce, Jessie J and Pippa Middleton, and hosted the wedding reception of Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley.
The venue was relaunched following a major refurbishment six years ago overseen by a team including Gwyneth Paltrow.