Barrister suspended for 12 months after punching theatre-goer in dispute over seat

Incident occurred in 2019

An unregistered barrister has been suspended after punching a fashion designer during a dispute over a spare seat at a Wagner performance at the Royal Opera House.

Matthew Adam Feargrieve is prohibited from obtaining a practicing certificate for 12 months following the conclusion of an independent disciplinary tribunal this week.

The sanction follows Feargrieve’s 2019 conviction for assault, where he was found to have punched fashion designer Ulrich Engler at least once during a dispute over an empty seat at the upscale Covent Garden venue.

The tribunal said Feargrieve had behaved in a way which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or in the profession.

At Feargrieve’s trial, the court heard how he had “lost his temper” when Engler moved from his seat in row B to an empty seat in row A, shortly before the third performance of Wagner’s Ring Cycle began.

The Oxford-educated lawyer maintained it was in fact Engler who had started the fracas, claiming the fashion designer had thrown his partner’s coat on the floor after she objected to him sitting in the vacant seat.

Feargrieve was eventually found guilty of assault and ordered to pay a fine of £900, costs of £775 and £500 in compensation.

Commenting on the order, a Bar Standards Board spokesperson said:

“Barristers have an obligation not to behave in a way which is likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in them or in the profession, even when not practising. The tribunal’s decision shows that Mr Feargrieve’s actions leading to his conviction were a clear breach of that duty and the sanction reflects the seriousness of this breach.”