A director of a prison rehabilitation company has been remanded into custody after being charged with an attack near the Notting Hill Carnival on a Swedish chef who was visiting London.
Omar Wilson, 31, was arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of attempted murder after the assault on Mussie Imnetu, 41, who has worked under celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing.
Wilson was charged with grievous bodily harm at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after the Swedish national chef was found unconscious with a head injury near a restaurant on Queensway late on Monday evening.
Omar Wilson spoke only to confirm his name age and address.
Wearing a grey tracksuit, Wilson took a long pause to compose himself before not giving a plea.
District Judge Daniel Sternberg treated this no indication as a plea of not guilty.
The case was sent to Southwark Crown Court on September 27 for plea and trial preparation.
Wilson, who is a director of a company that supports prisoners, was remanded into custody.
The court was shown CCTV of the incident, with some members of Mr Imnetu’s family leaving before it was shown.
After the alleged attack, Imnetu was taken to hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Prosecutor Rhianne Neil said that Imnetu was found by police officers at 11.22pm on the Queensway, where they gave first aid before paramedics arrived.
She added that Imnetu had suffered catastrophic brain injuries, several bleeds on the brain, and multiple cardiac arrests as a result of the incident.
The Met is still appealing for information about the incident and Mussie’s movements on Monday.
He left the Arts Club on Dover Street in Mayfair at 1pm and was seen again after 10.30pm on Queensway, outside the Dr Power restaurant.
He was seen leaving the Mayfair restaurant by himself wearing a blue T-shirt and black jeans.
When he arrived at the restaurant, he had a white baseball cap.
The chef was visiting London on business from Dubai, where he runs The Brasserie at the Dubai Arts Club.
Source Agencies
