A 74-year-old man is accused of strangling a mother-of-two during a live theater performance of the musical "We Will Rock You" in London. The alleged incident occurred on June 7, 2023, during a press night at the London Coliseum.
The defendant, identified as Malcolm Potier, 74, was invited to the show by theater critic Lizzie Loveridge, editor of TheatreVibe. According to reports from Southwark Crown Court, the confrontation began after Loveridge complained about another audience member, Charlotte Goss, using her phone during the performance. Goss subsequently put her phone away.
Witnesses stated that Loveridge then allegedly confronted Goss and her friend, Kirsty O'Donnell, 51, who were singing along to the musical, and told them to "shut the f*** up." O'Donnell reportedly stated she was offended by the remark. The court heard that Potier then "leapt into action" and aggressively told O'Donnell, "I will show you what rude is."
Potier, from Sarratt, Hertfordshire, is accused of leaning over and grabbing O'Donnell by the neck, applying "intense pressure" for approximately three to four seconds. O'Donnell, an HR professional, testified that she and her friend were singing along to the musical, which she felt was not uncommon for audience members. She stated that once the pressure eased, she asked Potier to let go, after which he reportedly turned back to the stage.
O'Donnell described experiencing "shock, terror and just pure disbelief" following the alleged assault. She remained in her seat until the end of the show, avoiding interaction with Potier. Both Loveridge and Potier left the venue during the encore.
Later, O'Donnell identified Potier and Loveridge with the help of another audience member, Louise Wallace. Wallace had given O'Donnell her business card earlier in the evening and urged her to report the incident to the police. O'Donnell found Loveridge on Facebook, where she saw photos of Potier, and also located a review of the show on Loveridge's website, TheatreVibe. O'Donnell stated she was "100 per cent sure" of her alleged attacker's identity, recognizing his features from photographs.
O'Donnell attended the musical with her university friend Goss as a reunion. They had moved seats for the second half of the show due to O'Donnell feeling nauseous from the heat and their elevated seating position, which placed them closer to Potier. Wallace, who was seated near Potier and Loveridge, described Loveridge as "very grumpy" when people moved closer to her seat and that she proceeded to admonish audience members for using phones and for noise.
Wallace also reported hearing Loveridge tell someone to "shut the f*** up," followed by an altercation she could not see. She described O'Donnell as "visibly shaken and upset" after being grabbed around the neck. Goss confirmed that Potier appeared to lean over her to reach O'Donnell, stating she "froze" and was unable to comprehend what had happened.
During questioning, O'Donnell confirmed that lighting conditions in the theatre, which was three to four rows from the stage, were sufficient for her to see people around her, including Potier. She reported the incident to theater staff and filed a police report the same night.
Potier has pleaded not guilty to one count of assault by beating and claims he has been misidentified. His defense barrister argued that O'Donnell's description of Potier changed over the course of her statements to police, eventually matching Potier's likeness after she saw him on Loveridge's Facebook page. The defense suggested that while an assault may have occurred, the person identified by O'Donnell was not the perpetrator. O'Donnell rejected this, stating, "I completely disagree" and "Absolutely not" when asked if she was mistaken. The defense also pointed out changes in O'Donnell's statements regarding the seating arrangement of Potier and Goss. O'Donnell maintained that she recognized Potier's face and saw it on multiple occasions.
The trial is ongoing.