Sickening moment thug attacks millionaire banker unprovoked

2023-04-21

Sickening moment thug launches savage unprovoked attacked on millionaire banker outside the Ivy that saw him jailed for just three years

Steve Allan, 35, punched British financier Paul Mason, 52, to the ground twice
Mr Mason fell into a coma and died six months later in hospital after final blow
READ MORE: Family of banker killed in random attack outside The Ivy by drunk electrician who fled on a rickshaw slam attacker’s lenient three-year sentence

This is the sickening moment a thug launches a savage, unprovoked attack on a millionaire banker, killing his victim – for which he was jailed for just three years.

The shocking footage shows Steve Allan punch wealthy British financier Paul Mason, 52, to the ground twice – the second time causing him to crack his head on the pavement and walk away as his lifeless victim lay dying in the street.

Mr Mason, the CEO of Qatari National Bank, never recovered from the final blow, falling into a coma and dying six months later in hospital.

Allan, 35, was cleared of murder at the Old Bailey but was jailed for just 36 months after he admitted manslaughter following the attack in December 2020. The ‘unduly lenient sentence’ has left Mr Mason’s family furious as they have vowed to appeal Allan’s jail term.

Today, welcoming Scotland Yard’s decision to release the footage, Mr Mason’s sister Rachel asked: ‘How can this not be murder? Steven Allan hits my brother twice with such ferocity he would never get up again. The level of violence shown against him in the clip is clear for all to see from this footage.

Shocking footage shows Steve Allan (pictured) punch wealthy British financier Paul Mason, 52, to the ground twice

Allan had been drinking in a number of bars when he bumped into Paul Mason (pictured) and accused him of stealing a friend’s mobile phone before the unprovoked attack

Welcoming Scotland Yard’s decision to release the footage, Mr Mason’s sister Rachel asked: ‘How can this not be murder? Steven Allan hits my brother twice with such ferocity he would never get up again’

‘This was not a single punch case. On the contrary, the punches rained down after Paul was sent crashing to the floor. How have we, as a society, become de-sensitised to such violence?

‘We really hoped Steven Allan would get a life sentence for what he did, but we have to try to accept the jury’s decision for our own sanity.

‘But having been told after the verdict that he would get a ‘substantial sentence’, he was given just three years – of which he will only serve 15-months behind bars. We strongly believe that is unduly lenient.’

CCTV shows the ferocity of the assault as Allan is seen hitting Mr Mason three times – twice while he was already on the floor, trying to get back on his feet.

The footage was released today by the Metropolitan Police – with permission from Mr Mason’s family – to highlight the disparity in the sentence and level of violence and aggression shown against Mr Mason.

He had been with two friends at The Ivy Club, an exclusive private members’ club in Soho, on the evening of December 15, 2020.

Allan had been drinking in a number of bars when he bumped into Mr Mason and accused him of stealing a friend’s mobile phone

The CCTV footage shows Allan marching across the road and attempting to grab something from Mr Mason, who shrugs him off and steps back

Allan follows him and punches with his right fist, knocking Mr Mason towards a building and onto the floor

As he emerged from the club, he helped a female friend into a black taxi before walking towards the junction where he was attacked.

Allan had been drinking in a number of bars when he bumped into Mr Mason and accused him of stealing a friend’s mobile phone.

The CCTV footage shows Allan marching across the road and attempting to grab something from Mr Mason, who shrugs him off and steps back.

Allan follows him and punches with his right fist, knocking Mr Mason towards a building and onto the floor.

As Mr Mason tries to get back up, Allan punches him a second time

As he tries to get back up, Allan punches him a second time and is then seen delivering an upper cut that causes Mr Mason to fall backwards and land with his head hitting the pavement, knocking him out cold.

Three off-duty nurses who had witnessed the attack tried to help Mr Mason, who was rushed to hospital where doctors carried out a procedure to replace part of his skull with a sheet of titanium.

Despite their best efforts he fell into a coma and died six months later on June 4, 2021.

Allan, from Hook in Hampshire, fled the scene, but later handed himself in to police.

He admitted manslaughter but a jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for 24 hours to find him not guilty of murder in February following a retrial.

Mr Mason to fell backwards and landed with his head hitting the pavement, knocking him out cold

Three off-duty nurses who had witnessed the attack tried to help Mr Mason, who was rushed to hospital

In her victim impact speech, Ms Mason revealed her oldest brother Simon, a recovering alcoholic, drank himself to death in September 2021.

He died just six days after his 56th birthday having binged on vodka to numb the pain of losing his younger brother.

Ms Mason told the court: ‘Myself and my other brother, Simon, looked to Paul for guidance and inspiration and could always rely on Paul’s pragmatic approach to life and challenges.

‘He played a vital role in our small family and was the glue that held us.

‘My other brother, a vulnerable adult could not cope with the violent killing of his little brother Paul and he was consumed with trauma and grief and died from an overdose three months after Paul died.

‘Steven Allan has left me now with no siblings; the deep connection to my childhood has gone. I have no doubt Steven Allan’s actions contributed to the death of my only other sibling. He leaves a 13 year old without a father or uncle to love and support him in life.’

Ms Mason also told the court of her anger that Allan had been allowed out on bail ‘to enjoy his life’ whereas she now suffers from PTSD and has constant nightmares.

Ms Mason also told the court of her anger that Allan had been allowed out on bail ‘to enjoy his life’ whereas she now suffers from PTSD and has constant nightmares

Mr Mason never recovered from the final blow, falling into a coma and dying six months later in hospital

She added: ‘Steven Allan violently attacked and killed my brother and has left me heart broken and devastated, a feeling of melancholy will consume me for the rest of my life as I have to live without Paul. He has broken my family forever more.

‘The grief and loss I feel is visceral and I am often overwhelmed with the intensity of the feelings of sadness, shock, disbelief, and hatred towards him. How dare he take Paul’s life!

‘Every day I feel shock and disbelief when I think about what he has done to Paul, almost every night I have nightmares because of him. I just cannot comprehend someone doing this to another human being especially someone I loved so much. Watching CCTV in court of the violent attack on Paul and how he tried to escape you will haunt me forever.

‘He has shown no genuine remorse at all and has shockingly been out on bail, to enjoy his life.’

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