Apologetic Sutil gets 18-month suspended sentence for attack on Renault executive
By Daily Mail UK 1 Feb 2012
Former Force India driver Adrian Sutil has been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and given an 18-month suspended sentence as well as £200,000 fine.
A court in Munich made the decision after a two day trial at which Lewis Hamilton had been asked to appear.
The 29-year-old was found guilty of injuring Renault team executive Eric Lu by striking him with a champagne glass at a party following Hamilton's victory at the China Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 17 and causing a wound in his neck which required 24 stitches.
In the dock: Adrian Sutil admitted he was 'terribly sorry' for the incident
The German driver told the court on Monday that he had 'tried everything' to settle the case out of court, offering "tens of millions" and a charitable donation but was turned down by Lux.
Friends: Lewis Hamilton was expected to give evidence in the trial
'I'm terribly sorry. I never wanted what happened there to happen,' Sutil said on the first day of the trial.
Sutil said last year he wanted only to spill his drink on Lux, who was part owner of the team now renamed Lotus, and that causing the injury was completely "unintentional and accidental."
The 29-year-old Sutil lost his seat at Force India after five seasons to compatriot Nico Hulkenberg in December. Sutil is without a team for this year.
Hamilton had informed court officials he was unable to testify in the trial as expected. He would be summoned as a witness to give evidence on the first day.