Furious Former Scottish Laird Jailed for Throttling Woman at Queen Musical

By the Editorial Team · Friday, September 11, 2026

Malcolm Potier, a former Scottish laird with a history of violent crimes, was sentenced to two years in prison for strangling a woman during a 2023 performance at the London Coliseum. The judge condemned his disproportionate attack as extreme, emphasizing its impact on the victim and highlighting Potier’s pattern of control and violence despite his past convictions.

A former Scottish laird has been sentenced to two years in prison after strangling a woman during a performance of the musical *We Will Rock You* at the London Coliseum in June 2023. Malcolm Potier, 75, was found guilty of non-fatal strangulation following the incident involving 51-year-old Kirsty O’Donnell. The altercation occurred after O’Donnell reportedly sang along loudly during the show, prompting a confrontation with Potier’s partner, theatre critic Lizzie Loveridge.

According to court testimony, Loveridge, editor of the website TheatreVibe, told O’Donnell to “shut the f*** up,” to which O’Donnell responded that the remark was “bit rude.” Potier then intervened by leaning over his seat and grabbing O’Donnell’s throat for several seconds. The incident took place in a crowded theatre during a live performance featuring Queen’s guitarist Brian May.

Judge Dafna Spiro, presiding at Southwark Crown Court, described Potier’s actions as “extreme and horrific,” highlighting the disproportionate nature of his response to what she characterized as a trivial dispute. While she noted a lack of a broader pattern of offending, the judge pointed to a “common thread of dominance, control and a lack of accountability” in Potier’s behavior. She also spoke about the impact on O’Donnell, who developed an ongoing fear following the attack and took steps to reduce her public profile. O’Donnell gave evidence at the trial to convey a broader message condemning violence against women.

Potier was identified after Loveridge inadvertently left her business card at the venue, which was found by a friend of O’Donnell. He resides in Sarratt, Hertfordshire.

Potier, once a multi-millionaire and qualified chartered surveyor, previously owned the Hebridean island of Gigha, purchased in 1989 for £5.4 million. He reportedly lost his wealth following the collapse of his company, with assets seized by a Swiss bank, though he was never declared bankrupt.

His criminal history includes convictions in Australia, where he was linked to several attempted murder-for-hire plots during a custody dispute. In 2002, while detained in Sydney, Potier paid a fellow inmate £4,600 to kill the mother of his child and her new partner. The assassination attempt failed when the would-be hitman fled to Italy with the money. Potier was originally sentenced to six years for that offense and received an additional 12-year sentence after planning another similar attack from prison in 2006.

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