This is the sickening moment when a thug launches a savage, unprovoked attack on a millionaire banker, killing his victim – for which he received only three years in prison.
The shocking footage shows Steve Allan knocking wealthy British financier Paul Mason, 52, to the ground twice – the second time causing him to break his head on the pavement and walk away as his lifeless victim lay dying in the street.
Mr. Mason, the CEO of Qatari National Bank, never recovered from the final blow. He fell into a coma and died in hospital six months later.
Allan, 35, was acquitted of murder at the Old Bailey but was jailed for just 36 months after admitting manslaughter following the December 2020 attack. term.
Today, pleased with Scotland Yard’s decision to release the footage, Mr Mason’s sister, Rachel, asked: ‘How can this not be murder? Steven Allan hit my brother twice with such ferocity that he would never get up again. The level of violence shown against him in the clip is plain to see in this footage for all to see.
Shocking footage shows Steve Allan (pictured) knocking wealthy British financier Paul Mason, 52, twice to the ground
Allan had been drinking in some bars when he bumped into Paul Mason (pictured) and accused him of stealing a friend’s mobile phone before the unprovoked attack
Mr Mason’s sister, Rachel, welcomed Scotland Yard’s decision to release the footage, asking: ‘How can this not be murder? Steven Allan hit my brother twice with such ferocity that he would never get up again’
‘This was not a single case. On the contrary, the punches rained down after Paul was sent to the ground with a punch. How have we as a society become desensitized to such violence?
“We really hoped Steven Allan would get life for what he did, but we have to try and accept the jury’s decision for our own sanity.
But after being told after the verdict that he would receive a ‘substantial sentence’, he was given only three years – of which he will spend only 15 months behind bars. We are firmly convinced that this is unfairly lenient.’
CCTV shows the ferocity of the attack as Allan punches Mr Mason three times – twice while he was already on the floor trying to get back on his feet.
The footage was released today by the Metropolitan Police – with the permission of Mr Mason’s family – to highlight the disparity in sentencing and the level of violence and aggression against Mr Mason.
He had been with two friends at The Ivy Club, an exclusive private members’ club in Soho, on the evening of December 15, 2020.
Allan had been drinking in a number of bars when he ran into Mr Mason and accused him of stealing a friend’s mobile phone.
The CCTV footage shows Allan crossing the road and trying to grab something from Mr Mason, who shakes him off and steps back.
Allan follows and slams his right fist, knocking Mr. Mason toward a building and to the ground
On his way out of the club, he helped a girlfriend into a black cab before walking to the intersection where he was attacked.
Allan had been drinking in a number of bars when he ran into Mr Mason and accused him of stealing a friend’s mobile phone.
The CCTV footage shows Allan crossing the road and trying to take something from Mr Mason, who shrugs him off and steps back.
Allan follows and slams his right fist, knocking Mr. Mason toward a building and to the ground.
As Mr. Mason tries to get back to his feet, Allan hits him a second time
The footage was released today by the Metropolitan Police – with the permission of Mr Mason’s family – to highlight the disparity in sentencing and the level of violence and aggression against Mr Mason
While trying to get back to his feet, Allan punches him a second time and is then seen delivering a top cut that sends Mr. Mason falling backwards and landing his head on the pavement, knocking him out cold.
Three off-duty nurses who witnessed the attack tried to help Mr Mason, who was rushed to hospital where doctors performed a procedure to replace part of his skull with a plate of titanium.
Despite their best efforts, he fell into a coma and died six months later on June 4, 2021.
Allan, from Hook in Hampshire, fled but later turned himself in to police.
He admitted manslaughter, but a jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for 24 hours to find him not guilty of murder in February after a retrial.
Mr. Mason fell backwards and landed his head on the pavement, knocking him out
Three off-duty nurses who witnessed the attack attempted to assist Mr Mason, who was rushed to hospital
In her victim speech, Ms Mason revealed that her eldest brother Simon, a recovering alcoholic, drank himself to death in September 2021.
He died just six days after his 56th birthday after biting into vodka to numb the pain of losing his younger brother.
Ms Mason told the court: ‘Myself and my other brother, Simon, looked to Paul for guidance and inspiration and could always rely on Paul’s pragmatic approach to life and challenges.
“He played a vital role in our little family and was the glue that held us together.
“My other brother, a fragile adult, couldn’t handle the violent murder of his baby brother Paul and he was consumed with trauma and grief and died of an overdose three months after Paul died.
“Steven Allan has now left me without siblings; the deep connection to my childhood is gone. I have no doubt that Steven Allan’s actions contributed to the death of my only other sibling. He leaves a 13-year-old with no father or uncle to love and support him in life.”
Ms Mason also told the court of her anger that Allan had been released on bail ‘to enjoy his life’, as she now suffers from PTSD and has constant nightmares.
Ms Mason also told the court of her anger that Allan had been released on bail ‘to enjoy his life’, as she now suffers from PTSD and has constant nightmares.
Mr. Mason never recovered from the final blow, slipping into a coma and dying in hospital six months later
She added, “Steven Allan violently assaulted and killed my brother and broke and destroyed my heart, a sense of melancholy will consume me for the rest of my life as I have to live without Paul.” He broke my family forever more.
“The grief and loss I feel is visceral and I am often overwhelmed by the intensity of the feelings of grief, shock, disbelief and hatred toward him. How dare he take Paul’s life!
“Every day I feel shock and disbelief when I think of what he did to Paul, almost every night I have nightmares because of him. I just can’t understand anyone doing this to another human being, especially someone I loved so much. Watching CCTV in court of the violent attack on Paul and how he tried to escape will haunt me forever.
“He has shown no sincere remorse and has been shockingly released on bail to enjoy his life.”
