A MAN who intervened in an altercation as he walked home from a night out ended up being punched to the ground and kicked in the back, a trial has heard.
Jamie Shotbolt (25) is accused of grave and criminal assault following the incident in St Helier town centre.
He denies the charge and claims he acted in self-defence.
Crown Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, told a jury in the Royal Court yesterday that the alleged assault took place in the early hours of Saturday 11 March, shortly after the man left a bar where he had been socialising with friends.
The court heard that the alleged victim had attempted to break up a group, which included Mr Shotbolt, because he wanted to stop an argument escalating, but that he had then been attacked.
CCTV footage taken from the south end of Halkett Street, showing the incident at the far end of the pedestrianised area near the junction with Beresford Street, was shown in court, with States police officers arriving on the scene immediately after the alleged assault.
Giving evidence yesterday, the man described being punched to the ground and kicked in the back before he could get up.
He said he had suffered injuries to his face and back, experiencing trouble with his vision for around three weeks after the incident, and described how, as he lay on the ground, he feared he would be “severely injured”.
Advocate James Bell, defending, suggested to the complainant that Mr Shotbolt had walked away from the incident and that his client felt threatened.
The man countered: “That’s his defence for brutally assaulting me.”
Also giving evidence, Mr Shotbolt said he had been heading for the taxi rank at the Weighbridge with three people he knew following a night out. He admitted that the group had been “boisterous” and “messing around” and that as part of this he had pushed one of his friends playfully, causing him to fall to the ground.
At this point Mr Shotbolt said he had become aware of the alleged victim’s presence, initially trying to grab him while on the ground and then approaching him after getting to his feet.
Mr Shotbolt told the jury of eight women and four men that he had punched the alleged victim as a “pre-emptive strike” because he felt threatened as the man came towards him. Mr Shotbolt then followed up with two kicks, saying he saw the man reaching for his pocket, claiming he believed he could have been reaching for a knife or other weapon.
The trial continues.
