A MILLIONAIRE businessman slapped a property tycoon across the face as their feud erupted in a club, a court heard.

CCTV showed Simon Lyons knocking Giles Mackay on to a sofa before jumping on him in an unprovoked attack last October.

Lyons, 38, boss of investment firm Enstar Capital, claimed he lashed out as he felt “in fear of his life” from Mr Mackay, 56, founder of £120million data giant Hometrack.

He also claimed his rival called him “a lying shyster Jew”, which Mr Mackay strongly denies.

City of London magistrates court heard there was “bad blood” between the pair who’d known each other four years.

Lyons had a court battle with his ex, a pal of Mr Mackay’s.

A week before the slap at Mayfair’s Monkey House, Lyons was given a harassment warning by police after he sent abusive texts to Mr Mackay.

Lyons was found guilty of assault, fined £3,000 and told to pay £5,956 costs. Judge Devinda Sandhu said: “These are two men who, sadly, dislike each other profoundly.”

Mr Mackay had tried to ban reporting his name but the judge said it went against open justice.