Wine glass attack after first cocaine hit lands man 7 years behind bars
Rampage at Royal Leonardo Hotel
Oliver Huckerby, 22, from Hertfordshire, has been slapped with a seven-year prison sentence after a violent outburst at the Royal Leonardo Hotel in London. The court heard how Huckerby, high on cocaine for the first time and heavily drunk after sharing two bottles of wine, launched a savage attack on hotel staff on December 16, 2023.
Following the recent death of his grandmother, Huckerby’s grief turned into chaos when he was refused entry to the rooftop bar for being too intoxicated. Furious, he snapped and used a broken wine glass as a weapon.
Horrific assault on hotel staff
- Security guard Daniel Lessie was slashed twice in the face with the shattered glass, resulting in deep wounds. He has since battled mental health issues and financial struggles, unable to work for nine months.
- Bartender Khadar Said suffered a terrifying 6cm wound to the skull after being struck with the glass stem. The attack caused him PTSD and forced a career change.
- Security guard Marcel Seaka ended up with a jagged facial wound, still struggling to eat and sleep because of embedded glass shards.
After the bloody rampage, Huckerby fled with his girlfriend but was quickly arrested by City of London Police. While in custody, he even hurled water at a police officer in another act of aggression.
Court drama and sentencing
At Inner London Crown Court, Huckerby faced multiple charges including three counts of grievous bodily harm with intent. He pleaded guilty to some but claimed he had no memory of the attack, blaming his intoxication. The jury was unimpressed and rejected his defense.
His lawyer called it “two minutes of madness” and insisted Huckerby had never taken drugs before. The defense also highlighted his previously good character and role as a caregiver.
Judge slams violent outburst, locks him up
Judge Vanessa Baraitser said:
“That night, no doubt fuelled by drink and drugs, you went on a rampage, breaking the glass in your hand on the face of Mr. Lessie, then lashing out at anyone who came within striking distance.”
The judge stressed that Huckerby’s violent attack on staff who were merely doing their jobs was unforgivable and worsened by his intoxication.
Huckerby now faces seven years behind bars for the sickening assaults – a stern warning about the deadly mix of booze, drugs and violence.
