FORMER Barnet mayor Brian Coleman has been has been fined nearly £1,400 after admitting attacking a café owner who was trying to take his picture.

After eight months denying a charge of common assault against Cypriot Helen Michael, 50, the Totteridge councillor changed his plea to guilty on the morning of the trial.

The 51-year-old admitted attacking Ms Michael outside her coffee shop Café Buzz, in High Road, after she tried to take a photograph of him parking in a restricted zone on Thursday September 20.

CCTV footage plays to the court shows him appearing to lunge at Ms Michael after noticing her holding a camera phone towards him standing at a cash point. A struggle ensued and several members of the public intervened, separating the pair before Mr Coleman fled the scene in his car.

An hour later he handed himself in to police.

Following the attack Ms Michael sustained scratches to her hand and wrist, as well as soreness to her wrist, shoulder and chest.

The court heard that Mr Coleman, who was suspended by the Conservative Party in November, had originally denied that he had approached Ms Michael, claiming that she had attacked him. Once confronted with CCTV footage that appeared to show him lunging at the café owner, he claimed that he had been trying to block her from taking his picture when she attacked him.

However, on the day of the trial he admitted common assault.

Defence barrister Neville Rudstone told the court that in the year leading up to the attack Mr Coleman, who had been Barnet Council’s cabinet member for environment, was the subject of a personal campaign by residents and traders opposed to his decision to raise the cost of parking and remove all pay-by-cash parking meters from the borough.

It was partly because of this campaign, led in part by Ms Michael, that the councillor lost his Barnet and Camden seat on the Greater London Assembly to Labour’s Andrew Dismore in May 2012. Soon after this defeat council leader Richard Cornelius stripped him of his environment portfolio.

Referring to the attack Mr Rudstone said: “He has acted in a moment of anguish after months of distress. He is now in the unusual position that before this court goes on to punish him, many people now go off to celebrate his being brought low.”

When sentencing, District Judge Deborah Wright said she had taken his career in public service and good character into account.

He was handed a £270 fine and ordered to pay £850 in court costs and a £15 victim surcharge. He was also ordered to pay Ms Michael £250.

He maintained his plea of not guilty to a charge of driving without reasonable care. The Crown Prosecution Service entered no evidence for this charge.

Speaking after the hearing Ms Michael said she was happy with the sentence.

Describing the attack she said: “It was really scary. The first I knew he was upon me. I was shocked and I don’t think my brain had understood what was happening.”

She added that he hoped he would step down from his position as councillor.

“He has bullied and intimidated people for a long time and now he has got what has been overdue.”

A spokesman for Barnet Council said it would not be taking any action against Mr Coleman.

He said: “This was something that happened in the Councillor’s private capacity. It would be inappropriate for the council to comment.”

The press contacted the national and local Conservative party and is awaiting a response