Executive was found half naked covered in shaving cream

An Israeli executive suffering from an acute manic episode caused over £100,000 of damage to a hotel room in a ‘90-minute siege’ at one of London’s top hotels.

Ofer Tsofan, 52, torched cushions and towels in suite 212 at the Four Seasons Hotel on Park Lane on 24 July last year, jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard.

Mr Tsofan was seen by security staff around midday demanding to speak to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and have his family flown to the UK from Israel by private jet, as well as telling staff to ‘f-ck off’, jurors heard.

Hotel staff called a friend of Mr Tsofan to help do a welfare check on him, but the Israeli businessman hurled abuse at his friend for two hours until police were called, jurors heard.

Police arrived around 9.45pm and tried to enter the hotel room as Mr Tsofan shouted abuse and demanding to see his lawyer.

Mr Tsofan then let the officers into the suite, but barricaded himself in a room while setting fires and throwing various objects at police, including glass bottles and a burning book.

The executive was only wearing a pair of black trousers and had covered parts of his body in shaving cream.

When Mr Tsofan was eventually arrested and taken to hospital, the full extent of the damage was revealed.

Mr Tsofan has destroyed three antique Chinese chests, two televisions, a music system, a wooden furniture set, and multiple glass tabletops.

Smoke from the fires set of the room’s sprinkler system, causing extensive flood damage.

Artwork, furniture upholstery, and three wallpaper panels also needed to be replaced because of ketchup stains.

The total bill was £108,982.85

One officer was injured after a glass bottle smashed on a door near his face.

Prosecutor Christopher Jenkins said: ‘It is not disputed that Mr Tsofan committed the acts that he is accused of.

‘Mr Tsofan was assisted after these incidents by three expert psychiatrists, in essence all three or less agreed Mr Tsofan could avail himself of the defence of insanity.

‘Mr Tsofan was in the middle of an acute manic episode.

‘There was effectively a 90-minute siege, with Mr Tsofan barricaded in his room and the police trying to calm him down.’

Shaven-headed Tsofan appeared at Southwark Crown Court wearing a blue shirt and green puffer jacket, as a member of his family watched from the public gallery.

Tsofan, of no fixed address, denies arson, criminal damage to property and two assaults of emergency workers, namely police officers, due to reason of insanity.

The trial continues.

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