Michelin star chef acquitted of running over intern, but convicted of withholding info

The court in Antwerp acquitted Michelin-starred chef Nick Bril of running over his intern with his heavy Land Rover Defender in 2024. Bril was convicted of negligently withholding information from investigators and leaving the scene of an accident before police could complete their investigation. The judge sentenced him to 12 months in prison, entirely suspended, on Wednesday, AD reports.

The incident happened in the parking lot of the Zeeland chef’s restaurant in Antwerp, The Jane, in January 2024. After a staff party, Bril got into his Land Rover and twice drove over British intern Joe Claridge, who was lying on the ground.

Claridge sustained life-threatening injuries and ended up losing both his legs.

The court said it was clear that Bril “could not have foreseen the accident and did not intend the consequences,” but at the same time, “Bril was seriously at fault due to his involvement, and by failing to provide necessary assistance.” The court understood Bril could not have known that Claridge was lying on the ground behind the vehicle, especially dressed in dark clothing.

Once the incident happened, the court said it was “manifestly implausible that he was unaware that he had run over Claridge.” Bril was obligated to provide help and to be transparent with the police at the scene. Bril did not call the emergency services after driving over Claridge. The alarm was only raised when a passing jogger noticed Bril standing over the victim.

“He waited 10 minutes before calling the emergency services. That was an irresponsible delay,” the court said. By remaining silent once police and paramedics arrived, he was guilty of a form of hit-and-run charge for not aiding emergency workers. “He knowingly and willfully evaded the investigation,” the court said.

Experts calculated that Bril must have been heavily intoxicated at the time of the accident, but he only took a breathalyzer test two hours after the incident. At that time, he had 1.75 per mille of alcohol in his blood. According to the court, it is impossible to determine his blood alcohol level at the time of the incident.

During the trial, prosecutors in the case honed in on Bril’s behavior after the collision, specifically that it took about ten minutes before police and paramedics were notified. Ultimately, he faced five charges, including driving under the influence, failure to control a vehicle, assault, and battery.

But his delay in contacting authorities, and his initial hesitance to describe what happened, led to charges of negligence for the omission of facts and details surrounding the crash, and involuntary hit-and-run. “Nick Bril got out immediately but failed to call for help immediately. Without the jogger, he would probably have gotten back into the car and driven away,” prosecutors said, according to VRT.

“He only did so 10 minutes later, but even then, without telling the full truth. If he had acted faster and provided the correct information, things might have turned out differently.”

In addition to the suspended prison sentence, Bril must pay a fine of €4,800, half of which is suspended. The court also banned the chef from driving for four months, and he must retake his driving test.

The judge also awarded compensation to the victim. For now, the amount has been symbolically set at one euro. The actual amount will be determined later.

The Belgian Public Prosecution Services recommended a prison sentence of 1.5 years, a fine of €4,400, and a three-month ban from driving.