We Will Rock You theatregoer who attacked singing woman is jailed - BBC News
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Theatregoer who throttled woman at show is jailed
Image source: Facebook
Image caption: Malcolm Potier is the former laird of the Hebridean island of Gigha
By Brian Farmer at Southwark Crown Court
Published 3 hours ago
A 75-year-old man who strangled a woman after she started to sing along at a West End show has been jailed for two years.
Malcolm Potier, a businessman and surveyor of Sarratt near Watford, was sitting near victim Kirsty O'Donnell in the audience at We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum in June 2023.
He claimed he had no recollection of being at the show, or of attacking O'Donnell, but was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of non-fatal strangulation by jurors.
Potier was already jailed in Australia two decades ago for twice trying to arrange the murder of a former partner following a dispute over their child.
He is also the former laird (a Scottish term for someone owning a large long-established estate) of the Hebridean island of Gigha.
Judge Dafna Spiro said his behaviour was "extreme and horrific" and there was a "thread" of "dominance, control and lack of accountability" in his actions.
Prosecutor Sam Lubner said Potier had been at the show, based on the music of rock band Queen, with his theatre critic partner Lizzie Loveridge.
He said O'Donnell and a friend had started singing, then Loveridge - using a profanity - told them to "shut up".
O'Donnell suggested the reaction was "rude", but Potier responded by saying "I'll show you what rude is" before attacking her.
The court heard the attack lasted just a few seconds.
Potier and Loveridge were later tracked down thanks to O'Donnell's business card, and he was arrested in November 2023.
O'Donnell was not physically injured, but she told the judge she was "more wary" of her surroundings since the attack and "far more conscious" of her "physical safety".
"I want to set an example for the young women and girls in my life, that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable," she said.
She also described hearing Potier "laughing" outside court during the trial, talking about his belief that he would not be given a prison sentence partly because of his age.