A MAN has described how he was knocked to the ground, beaten and had his shoes stolen by two men following a night out in St Helier.
The Islander was giving evidence on the first day of an Assize jury trial in the Royal Court of Mark Christopher James Goodchild (36) and 29-year-old Addison Thomas Mazurke.
They both deny grave and criminal assault and theft, although at an earlier hearing Mr Mazurke pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of common assault.
Mr Mazurke was identified as one of the attackers on CCTV, but Mr Goodchild denies any involvement.
Giving evidence, the man wept as he told the court: “They jumped on my head, my ribs and my legs. My collarbone was broken. After two days I had surgery in the Hospital. My face was bigger because of the punches. There were scratches everywhere.”
Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit, prosecuting, said it was “a serious and sustained assault involving multiple blows” and described it as “particularly nasty”.
The court was shown numerous clips of CCTV footage, which show the incidents, in Bath Street and King Street.
The alleged victim is seen running away from two men before he is pushed to the ground, punched and kicked.
The CCTV showed two men returning to King Street afterwards and each picking up a trainer.
A later clip shows the alleged victim walking slowly along King Street with no shoes.
The court was also shown a video taken on Mr Mazurke’s phone where the man is lying unconscious on the ground with his arms over his head, and two people can be heard laughing.
Crown Advocate Maletroit said: “They took it as sport. They thought it was a bit of a laugh to give someone a severe beating.”
The alleged victim admitted he had been drinking on the night of the incident and Advocate Greg Herold-Howes, defending Mr Mazurke, said to him: “It’s fair to say your recollections are not good. Is that right?” He replied: “I don’t know.”
The advocate suggested: “You snatched a bag from two younger men and Mr Mazurke approached you to get the bag back.” He said: “I don’t remember.”
The trial is expected to last three more days.
