Bank chief ‘punched to death by drunk stranger’
A BANKING executive was murdered by a drunk stranger after a night at the Ivy, a court heard yesterday.
Paul Mason, 52, had been at the London venue before he was confronted by Steven Allan.
Allan, 34, who had been drinking in a number of bars, accused Qatar National Bank’s British boss of stealing a mobile phone, before launching a vicious attack in the street in December 2020, a court was told yesterday.
Allan delivered an uppercut – with witnesses describing the ‘sickening crunch’ as Mr Mason’s skull struck the pavement.
Doctors replaced part of his skull with a sheet of titanium but he died six months later, in June 2021. Allan was later traced by CCTV.
Mr Mason, the chief executive of the Doha-based bank, had spent the night at the Ivy Club, a members-only venue upstairs from the famous restaurant. he was making his way home when he was confronted.
Allan, who had been drinking with two friends, marched across the road and tried to grab his phone, the court heard. Mr Mason tried to continue his journey but Allan followed him and punched him, knocking him to the ground. Witness Gary McGuinness described Mr Mason falling to the floor during the fight, before a ‘decisive’ blow was followed by an ‘audible noise of his head hitting the ground’. he told the Old Bailey: ‘[Allan] took the phone out of his hands and said, “This is my friend’s phone. The guy had my friend’s phone”.’ The accused then disappeared from the scene. Allan, of hook, hampshire, admits manslaughter but denies murder. The trial continues.