'I only wanted to relax her': Indian restaurateur Vikas Nath convicted in Annabel’s drink-spiking case in London

A London jury found the 63-year-old restaurateur guilty after bar staff stopped a spiked cocktail and prosecutors presented texts showing sexual intent.

• Vikas Nath convicted for spiking a woman's drink at Annabel's club in London
• Jury finds Nath guilty of drug possession and intent to administer substance.
• Club staff intervened, preventing the woman from consuming the spiked drink

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A London court has convicted Indian-origin restaurateur Vikas Nath, 63, for spiking a woman’s drink at the exclusive Mayfair private members’ club Annabel's, rejecting his claim that he did so merely to 'relax' her.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court found Nath guilty of attempting to administer a substance with intent and possession of a Class B drug after he laced a cocktail with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) in January 2024.

What happened at Annabel’s

According to evidence cited by the BBC, the incident occurred on January 15, 2024, at the club’s rooftop garden bar. Nath was seen dipping a straw into a small bottle disguised as Madagascan vanilla extract and transferring liquid into the woman’s spicy margarita.

Club staff noticed what prosecutors later described as “rather strange actions” and intervened, swapping the drink before it could be consumed. Nath later admitted spiking the drink without consent and was seen throwing the bottle into a toilet cistern.

Victim’s testimony

The woman, whose identity is protected, told the court she felt “betrayed” by Nath. She said he had previously warned her and a friend about the dangers of drink spiking days before the incident, a detail reported by the BBC.

She testified that she had met Nath several times before, often for lunch at venues including Nath’s Michelin-starred restaurant Benares, and that their interactions were never sexual. She also said she initially defended him when warned by staff, telling them, “There is no way he could do that.”

Texts presented to jury

Prosecutors relied heavily on private messages shown to jurors, reported by the Daily Express. In one message, Nath wrote, “I want to get laid, not hold hands,” and in another described the woman as “eminently f***able,” referring to the need to “play the long game.”

On the night of the incident, he messaged a friend saying it was “probably the last evening with her” and that “she ain’t biting.” Prosecutors said the messages demonstrated motive, intent and planning.

Evidence found after arrest

Police searches of Nath’s Knightsbridge home recovered two bottles of GBL and a covert, motion-activated camera pointed at his bed. Prosecutors said the items supported their case that Nath intended to incapacitate women.

CCTV footage from Annabel’s also captured his actions at the table, reinforcing witness testimony.

Defence rejected, sentencing awaited

Nath denied any intention to sexually assault the woman and claimed he used GBL personally and did not know it was illegal. He said he had only wanted to “relax” her. The jury rejected this explanation.

After the verdict, Nath was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing. The Crown Prosecution Service said his own messages exposed his motive and that swift action by club staff prevented harm.