A lawyer repeatedly punched a fellow classical music fan because he picked his wife’s coat and slung it on her lap, a court heard.

Matthew Feargrieve, 43, attacked Ulrich Engler, 56, during a performance of Wagner’s Siegfried at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, jurors were told.

The fight started after Engler grabbed a coat that belonged to Feargrieve’s wife from an empty seat and slung it on to her lap, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

20/03/2019 Westminster Magistrate?s Court. (London). Pic shows Matthew Feargrieve leaving the court. A lawyer repeatedly attacked another attendee during an opera performance because he moved a coat from a seat, a court heard. Matthew Feargrieve, 42, repeatedly punched Ulrich Engler on the shoulder during a performance of Wagner?s Siegfried at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden is 7 October last year. Westminster Magistrates Court heard today (weds) that the altercation occurred after Mr Engler moved a coat belonging to XXX wife from an empty seat. SEE STORY CENTRAL NEWS. 020 72360116. Picture: Brais G. Rouco/ Central News
Matthew Feargrieve attacked Ulrich Engler at the Royal Opera House (Picture: Brais G. Rouco/ Central News)

Victoria Murphy, prosecuting, said: ‘This is an allegation that arises from 7 October last year.

‘They were at the Royal Opera House for the Ring Cycle performance. During the Ring Cycle it is usual for audience to stay in the same seats.’

Ms Murphy told the court that Feargrieve and his wife were sat in their assigned seats, and she placed her coat in the empty seat next to her.

‘Then the accounts began to differ,’ the lawyer said.

‘The complainant’s account is that he asked Mr Feargrieve: “Would you mind if I sat here?”‘

After allegedly being refused, he picked up the coat and placed it on Feargrieve wife’s lap before it somehow ended up on the floor.

Pic shows Matthew Feargrieve, leaving court A lawyer repeatedly attacked another attendee during an opera performance because he moved a coat from a seat, a court heard. Matthew Feargrieve, 42, repeatedly punched Ulrich Engler on the shoulder during a performance of Wagner?s Siegfried at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden is 7 October last year. Westminster Magistrates Court heard today (weds) that the altercation occurred after Mr Engler moved a coat from an empty seat. SEE STORY CENTRAL NEWS
Feargrieve could be fined or even get a short prison sentence if found guilty (Picture: Central News)

Engler, a leading fashion designer, claimed Feargrieve said to him: ‘How dare you talk to my wife like that?’ and proceeded to punch him on the shoulder three times.

Ms Murphy then said: ‘He said that he didn’t retaliate or reply at all.’

She continued: ‘There is a different account from Mr Feargrieve.

‘His statement says that Mr Engel asked if she has paid for the seat and threw her jacket on the floor.

‘She moved toward the jacket to protect it.

‘She said he puts his hand up and pushed her so that she fell back towards Mr Feargrieve.’

Sending the case for a summary trial, magistrate Colin Bateman-Jones said: ‘We have made a petition for a day and a half on the assumptions that it seems like an awful lot of witnesses.’

Feargrieve, of Barnes, southwest London, denies assault by beating.

He will face trial on 9 May at City of London Magistrates Court.

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