Former Gigha Laird Malcolm Potier Jailed Two Years for Strangling Theatregoer at London Coliseum
On Thursday, Southwark Crown Court sentenced Malcolm Potier, a 75-year-old businessman from Sarratt, to two years in prison for non-fatal strangulation. The incident took place in June 2023 during a performance of We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum, where Kirsty O'Donnell was present. After O'Donnell was told to stop singing by Potier's partner, Lizzie Loveridge, Potier attacked her, despite claiming he had no recollection of the event. In November 2023, police apprehended Potier using a business card that Loveridge had given to O'Donnell. Judge Dafna Spiro characterized Potier's actions as "extreme and horrific." Although O'Donnell did not suffer injuries, she reported feeling more anxious about her safety. Potier has a prior conviction in Australia for inciting murder.
Key facts
- Malcolm Potier, 75, was jailed for two years at Southwark Crown Court for non-fatal strangulation
- The attack took place in June 2023 at the London Coliseum during We Will Rock You
- Victim Kirsty O'Donnell was seated in the dress circle when throttled for a few seconds
- Potier attended with partner and theatre critic Lizzie Loveridge, who told O'Donnell to stop singing
- Potier was arrested in November 2023 after being traced via Loveridge's business card
- Judge Dafna Spiro described the behaviour as 'extreme and horrific' and the offence as unusual
- Potier was sentenced to six years in Australia in 2002 and 12 more years in 2006 for plotting a former partner's murder
- Potier is the former laird of the Hebridean island of Gigha
Entities
Artists
- Malcolm Potier
- Kirsty O'Donnell
- Lizzie Loveridge
- Sam Lubner
- Dafna Spiro
Institutions
- Southwark Crown Court
- London Coliseum
- HM Courts & Tribunals Service
- BBC Sounds
- Queen
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Gigha
- Scotland
- Sarratt
- Watford
- Australia