Gin heir accused of assaulting his mother

THE heir to the Gilbey gin empire has appeared in court accused of assaulting his elderly mother when visiting her countryside home.

Sir Walter Gavin Gilbey, 68, is charged with assaulting Lady Elizabeth Gilbey, 95, at her home in Bury, West Sussex, in August last year.

The trial date of February 9 was confirmed at Crawley magistrates’ court. At the first hearing last November, District Judge Christopher James imposed conditional bail ordering Sir Walter not to visit his mother’s home or contact her, except via solicitors.

Sir Walter is the 4th Baronet of the Gilbey Baronetcy. He succeeded in 1991, after the death of his father, Sir Walter Derek Gilbey.

The title was created in 1893 for Walter Gilbey, a wine merchant, stockbreeder, agriculturalist and philanthropist who was chairman and co-founder of W&A Gilbey, a wine merchant and distiller most famous for London dry gin. Established in 1857, the company had premises in Camden, London, and also had distilleries in Canada and Australia. It is now owned by industry giant Diageo.

Twice-divorced Sir Walter, known by his middle name, Gavin, was a director of Gilbey’s International between 1986 and 1992.

The trial will take place at Horsham magistrates’ court.