14 DAY TRIAL // A female photographer, Harsha Gopal, is considering pressing charges against British actor Jude Law after he hit her in the face the other night, as he was exiting a London eatery. Gopal claims he did it on purpose and did not even apologize, for which reason she might actually go to the police to file charges, but Law’s attorney is sharing a different story, the Daily Mail informs.
Law was part of a select crowd partying at Automat in Dover Street, Mayfair, which also included Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay Z and Director Christopher Nolan. With such a crowd gathered inside, it’s no wonder dozens of paparazzi camped outside to try to get a shot of the A-listers as they came out. The first one to do so was Jude Law, who, the moment he saw the cameras, stuck his hand out and hit Gopal, she claims. He did not even stop to apologize, which, as per Gopal, hurts more than the actual slap she got.
“He hit me full on the face, it was a real stinger, it was very sore. It was really loud – there was a massive thud and my face is still stinging today. It was deliberate – you could see it in his face. Maybe he didn’t realize he was hitting a girl, but he could at least apologize.” Gopal tells the media. Photos made public of the incident do indeed show that Law touched her, but it is not yet known whether deliberately or by accident. Should the photographer file charges, a police investigation would most likely settle the issue.
In the meanwhile, Law’s attorney, who has been notified of the incident and the accusations brought against his client, is calling them “nonsense.” The actor did not deliberately set out to hurt the female paparazzo, but rather touched her by mistake. When Law came out of the restaurant after a couple of drinks, he was literally blinded by the camera flashes. It was then that he tried to shield his eyes and hit Gopal.
“Last night’s incident was an accident. Jude was blinded by the camera flashes when he left the restaurant, raised his hand to shield himself and inadvertently struck somebody standing very close. He apologized and left.” the attorney says for the same publication named above. Gopal is yet to announce whether she’s considering pressing charges.