Private text messages sent by Indian-origin restaurateur Vikas Nath became key evidence in his conviction for attempting to spike a woman’s drink at a luxury London club, according to court proceedings reported by British media.
Nath, 63, owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Benares, was found guilty of attempting to administer a substance with intent and of possessing a Class B drug after lacing a woman’s cocktail with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) at Annabel’s in Mayfair. Prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court that his messages revealed sexual intent and contradicted his claim that he merely wished to help the woman “relax”.
Jurors were shown multiple texts sent in the weeks leading up to the January 2024 incident, including messages expressing frustration at the woman’s lack of romantic interest and references interpreted by prosecutors as evidence of planning and motive. The prosecution argued these communications demonstrated clear intent rather than casual remarks.
The court heard Nath met the woman at Annabel’s rooftop bar and ordered her a drink. When she briefly left the table, he allegedly poured liquid from a container disguised as vanilla extract into her cocktail using a straw. Alert staff noticed unusual behaviour, removed the drink and prevented the woman from consuming it. The cocktail was later seized and tested by police, while CCTV footage captured events at the table.
The woman testified that she initially struggled to believe Nath could have tampered with her drink but later felt betrayed upon learning the facts. Evidence presented in court showed the pair had previously met socially, though their relationship had not been sexual.
Following Nath’s arrest, police searches of his Knightsbridge residence recovered bottles containing GBL and a covert motion-activated camera positioned toward his bed. Prosecutors argued the items supported their case regarding intent to exploit incapacitated victims. Investigators also retrieved the disguised bottle he had attempted to discard.
Nath admitted adding the substance without consent but denied any intention to commit sexual assault, claiming he only wished to relax the woman and was unaware the substance was illegal. The jury rejected this explanation.
He was remanded in custody after conviction and will be sentenced at a later date. The Crown Prosecution Service said the defendant’s own messages proved decisive in establishing motive and intent, while crediting club staff for intervening and preventing harm.
