Playboy: Hannibal Gaddafi is at the centre of a police inquiry over claims he attacked his wife in a top London hotel on Christmas Day The playboy son of Colonel Gaddafi was at the centre of a police inquiry last night over claims he attacked his wife in a top London hotel on Christmas Day.
Moutassim Gaddafi - known as Hannibal - was staying with his wife, the model Aline Skaf, 29, and their children in a luxury suite at Claridge's when the fight broke out.
Police were called to the family's £4,000-a-night suite at 1.30am after hotel staff heard a woman's screams for help.
But when officers arrived they found the Libyan despot's 33-year-old son locked in the room with his wife - with his bodyguards blocking their way.
Three of the security staff were arrested at the scene for obstructing police officers.
Mr Gaddafi, however, was able to slip away after calling the Libyan ambassador, who informed officers that he had diplomatic immunity.
The Porsche-loving playboy and notorious hell-raiser was then whisked away in an embassy car.
A witness at the five-star hotel described hearing terrified screams: 'I saw staff trying to get into the room where a woman was screaming. But these security guards wouldn't let them through. 'Then a lot of police officers arrived, some of whom were armed, and they arrested the security guards.
'I could see a woman inside the room and she was very distressed and in an extremely bad way.
'She was bleeding heavily from her nose and face. Her nose was clearly broken and it looked like she would need surgery.'
Miss Skaf, a Libyan model who speaks fluent French and Arabic, was taken by ambulance to a London hospital for treatment of a suspected broken nose.
She later claimed her injuries were accidental, telling police she had fallen.
The Gaddafis' bodyguards were taken to a police station, but later released without charge.
Scotland Yard confirmed officers and an ambulance were called to Claridge's. A spokesman said: 'A woman was taken to hospital suffering facial injuries.
'Three people were arrested in connection with the incident and taken to a central London police station.'
Mr Gaddafi and his wife had planned to stay at the hotel, in Mayfair, which is a favourite with the family, until January but checked out shortly after the fight.
A Claridge's spokesman said: 'I can confirm there was a domestic incident between some guests at Claridge's on Christmas morning and it was dealt with through normal channels by our security. The police also attended.
'We cannot comment on the identity of any of our guests and they have since checked out.'
The incident is the latest violent allegation to involve Hannibal Gaddafi.
In July last year, Swiss police arrested him and his wife, then heavily pregnant, for apparently beating up their servants in a Geneva hotel.
Police were called to the family's £4,000-a-night suite at Claridge's at 1.30am after hotel staff heard a woman's screams for helpThe couple were charged after staff at the President Wilson Hotel - where the Gaddafis were staying as Miss Skaf prepared to give birth in a Geneva hospital - claimed they were beaten with a belt and a clothes hanger.
Two of Hannibal's bodyguards were also held after they clashed with police making the arrest.
The couple, who denied wrongdoing, were later released on bail and the complaint was dropped after the two servants received compensation from an undisclosed source.
But the incident led to a long-running diplomatic stand-off, with Libya stopping oil exports to Switzerland, boycotting Swiss imports, cutting flights between the two countries and refusing visas to Swiss citizens.
The playboy, who was educated at Copenhagen Business School, has also had run-ins with the authorities in France.
Hannibal was arrested in 2005 at a Paris hotel for punching Miss Skaf, then his girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant.
He allegedly beat her after she refused to let him into a room at the Grand Hotel. Police were called when he brandished a handgun.
Mr Gaddafi then moved to another hotel where he went on the rampage, smashing furniture in a £500-a-night suite.
He was later given a four-month suspended prison sentence and a £350 fine for the assault.
A year earlier, he was involved in a high-speed police chase, driving along the Champs Elysees at 90mph in his black Porsche. When stopped by police, his bodyguards attacked the officers.
No charges were brought after Libyan diplomats apologised.
In 2003 he was involved in a brawl in Rome that left six photographers hospitalised and he also caused mayhem while on holiday there in 2001, hurling bottles and attacking three policemen after a night downing cocktails.
Colonel Gaddafi, who has seven sons and one daughter, is said to despair of Hannibal's wayward behaviour, which is a far cry from that of his oldest son by his second marriage, Saif al-Islam, who is favourite to succeed him.
Suave and urbane, Saif, 37, was educated at the London School of Economics and counts Prince Andrew among his friends.
Although he too has attracted controversy after being heavily involved in the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi, whom he accompanied home to a hero's welcome in August.
The Libyan Embassy last night declined to comment on the alleged incident at Claridge's.
source: dailymail
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