A MEMBER of Qatar’s royal family spat at a hotel worker in a 2am bust-up at a five-star London retreat – before being dragged from his room in handcuffs.
Abdulrahman Al-Thani, 18, launched the pathetic attack in the early hours of Monday morning after asking staff at Mayfair’s exclusive 45 Park Lane “Do you know who I am?”
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Abdulrahman Al-Thani, 18, was fined and ordered to pay compensation after spitting at a hotel worker
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The incident took place at five-star hotel 45 Park LaneCredit: Alamy
The minor royal, who was staying at his parents’ flat inside the posh £700-a-night hotel, spent the night in Brixton police station after cops swooped and arrested him in his room.
Al-Thani is a distant relative of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The holidaying royal had returned from a night out when a security guard denied him access to the hotel at 2am.
Prosecutor Rihan Neil told Westminster magistrates’ court: “The defendant was a guest staying at the 45 Park Lane hotel.
“Earlier in the night he tried to gain access through a different entrance.
“To do this, he had to prove he was staying at the hotel. He refused to give these details.
“Security asked him multiple times to leave, before placing his hand on the defendant’s arm to try and encourage him to leave.
“The defendant became verbally aggressive and called the workers names.
“He then left the premises.”
The court heard the well-travelled business student later returned as the passenger in a white Maserati supercar.
Ms Neil continued: “He approached the staff member he interacted with and asked, ‘Do you know who I am? Suck your mum’, and then spat at the worker.
“The spit missed the face of the security worker and hit the face of the victim.
“Officers were called and the defendant was arrested and taken into custody.”
The victim, engineer Jake Rickman, was on a night shift and walked over to the argument after hearing the commotion outside.
‘INHUMANE’ TREATMENT
He said in a witness statement read out in court: “I’ve been humiliated.
“I want to break down and cry.
“I do not come to work to be treated like this.
“It is inhumane and nobody should be treated like this.
“I’ve been made to feel like I am going to lose my job and because of his stature I am afraid for my safety.”
The court heard the business studies student was due back at university in Qatar’s capital Doha when term starts next week.
He had been in the UK since December 28.
Melina Antoniadis, for Al-Thani, said: “He is extremely remorseful. He did not intend to spit on the victim.
“The defendant is 18 years old.
“It was indeed in the heat of the moment and it was a misunderstanding.
“He went back to his hotel room and was awoken in the middle of the night when he was taken into custody.”
A video clip from the hotel’s CCTV showed Al-Thani exit the car before spitting “from some distance”.
Sentencing Al-Thani, District Judge John Zani said: “To spit on anyone, or at anybody, is a disgraceful act, which I hope you accept.
“Having seen the footage, it is not a situation where you are close up to the person where contact was inevitable.
“I am told and I accept the intended victim was not the gentleman on whom the spit landed.
“I take into account your plea of guilty, and I take into account your remorse.
“I note your means.
“You are fortunate to be supported.
“For the victim, there was the lurking fear of what was in the spit.”
Al-Thani was fined £2,500, £1,000 in compensation and £85 in costs.
He was ordered to pay the fine immediately and was made to sit in the back of the court until the money was deposited.
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Abdulrahman Al-Thani