Lawyer drove at ex high jumper in parking row outside daughter's nursery
A TOP lawyer who lost his temper and drove aggressively at a pedestrian in a row over parking on the pavement outside his daughter's nursery was fined £5,000.
Boris Bronfentrinker, 43, nearly ploughed down Peter Bullen on the pavement after the pair engaged in a dispute over parking. A court heard Bullen had to "jump out the way" as the law firm partner "accelerated" at him, reports Mirror Online.
Bullen, a former high jumper, said he was trying to take a photo of Bronfentrinker parked on double yellow lines moments before the road rage on January 18, 2019. Bronfentrinker had just dropped his daughter off at Montessori Nursery in Marylebone, central London.
The defendant, who is a partner at Quinn Emanuel's London office, told the jury he was trying to drive around Mr Bullen, denied dangerous driving.
But a jury at Southwark Crown Court today found the lawyer guilty of the charge.
Nick Wells, prosecuting, said: "Mr Bronfentrinker was parked over a double yellow line and two of the four wheels were on the pavement.
"He was parked directly outside the Montessori Nursery School on Marylebone Lane where his daughter attends."
"Mr Bullen didn't like Mr Bronfentrinker parking in this way and he remonstrated with him about this in the past, and he told Mr Bronfentrinker previously that if he found him parking in this way again he would take a photo of the vehicle and report him to Westminster Council.
"Mr Bullen on seeing the vehicle parked this way that morning stopped and raised his arms in disbelief. It seems Mr Bronfentrinker reacted dismissively to Mr Bullan then put his head down and continued typing on his phone or looking at his emails."
Giving evidence, Mr Bullen said he was on his daily walk when he saw Bronfentrinker's car parked on Marylebone Lane.
Mr Bullen said: "He was looking down at his phone. I took my phone out and I stood in front of the car on the footpath five to six feet in front and I lined up my camera to take a picture.
"As I took the photograph I realised the car was accelerating towards me although it didn't make any sound, there was no horn.
"I just saw it coming towards me. I realised it was not going to turn away so I jumped to one side to avoid it hitting me."
The ex-high jumper said: "I'm lucky I'm a sportsman, my reactions are pretty quick. I could feel the wind of it as it passed by my tracksuit bottoms.
"I'm just delighted I'm still in one piece."
I'm lucky I'm a sportsman, my reactions are pretty quick. I could feel the wind of it as it passed by my tracksuit bottoms