It was meant to be a stylish evening at Annabel’s, the iconic Mayfair members’ club, where plush sofas, rooftop views, and a cocktail menu promising spice and flair set the scene.
But what unfolded on January 15, 2024, has stunned jurors and the public alike: a Michelin-starred restaurateur allegedly tampered with a woman’s drink in full view of other guests.
CCTV footage released in court shows Vikas Nath, 63, casually holding a phone in one hand and a straw in the other, while seated on the rooftop garden bar.
The footage reveals a sequence of actions that prosecutors say amount to drink spiking, all while Nath appeared completely at ease in the £3,750-a-year club.
The Alleged Spiking Incident
According to trial reports at Southwark Crown Court, Nath used the straw to add gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) into the woman’s spicy margarita, secretly pouring it from a small Madagascan vanilla extract bottle.
Nath, whose restaurant empire spans the UK and Spain—including two Michelin-starred venues—claims he only intended to make the woman “less anxious,” not to pursue sexual advances.
Despite his claims, the CCTV shows him tipping the straw into the substance and then back into the drink while other diners and staff were just yards away.
Nath even took sips from the straw, seemingly testing the mixture before leaving the drink for the woman.
A Disturbing Pattern?
The court heard that Nath had previously consumed the substance himself to enhance the effects of alcohol.
He reportedly took a “swig” before arriving at Annabel’s, and then repeatedly stirred it into the margarita throughout the evening.
Staff managed to replace the drugged drink before the woman could drink it, and Nath allegedly disposed of the bottle in a toilet cistern when police were en route.
Nath, who directs Termdeal Ltd—owners of high-end Indian restaurant Benares in Mayfair—admitted in court, through tears, that his actions were “wrong” and that he deeply regretted them.
He denied, however, that his intent was to “stupefy or overpower” the woman.
Nath’s Explanation
The restaurateur told jurors that he believed the substance was a form of cleaning fluid he had previously mixed with tequila to “calm” someone down.
He described the woman as “erratic” on that night and claimed his goal was only to reduce her anxiety.
When asked if he had intentions of sexual activity, Nath insisted he was not thinking about that at the time.
The pair had met a few times prior to the incident, often for lunch at venues including the Beaverbrook Town House hotel and Benares.
Nath also told police he originally purchased the substance in 2016 for cleaning his BMW i8 and that a friend had suggested it could be used as a relaxant with alcohol.
Messages Suggest a Different Motive, Say Prosecutors
Prosecutor Tim Clark KC painted a more troubling picture for the jury.
He highlighted text messages Nath had exchanged with a friend before the night in question, revealing his impatience with the woman and his desire to have sex.
In November 2023, Nath reportedly texted: “I want to get laid, not hold hands,” and discussed “old-fashioned seduction” while questioning his own patience.
Prosecutors also revealed that Nath had a motion-sensor camera in his Knightsbridge bedroom, previously used to record sexual activity covertly.
What Happened Before the Night
Just four days before the spiking incident, Nath and the woman had been to a nightclub in the West End.
Nath admitted sending messages afterward expressing concern that her drink might be spiked.
He described her behavior as “erratic” and “hyper,” saying she had left drinks and belongings on the table while going to the bathroom.
On the night in question, Nath claimed he wanted to discuss “taking the relationship to the next level.”
The court heard they had been flirting, kissing, and “cuddling,” but Nath insists the encounter was never intended to be harmful.
Staff Witness the Actions
Staff at Annabel’s reported seeing Nath dip a straw into a small vanilla extract bottle he had pulled from his pocket and transfer liquid to the margarita.
Nath denies both attempting to administer a substance and possessing a Class B drug.
The trial is ongoing, as jurors continue to hear testimony surrounding the events of that night, the messages exchanged beforehand, and Nath’s explanation for his actions.
