A MAN accused of butting another man in the face during a disco at Woodbridge Town Football Club told a court today that he had been upset after another guest hit his three year old son in the head.

A MAN accused of butting another man in the face during a disco at Woodbridge Town Football Club told a court today that he had been upset after another guest hit his three year old son in the head.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court Paul Dickinson said he had been dancing with his son when a woman had asked if she could hold the child.

At that moment the woman's partner had "come storming over" and thrust his arm between them.

As he did so he had struck Dickinson's son on the head causing the child to cry.

Dickinson told the court he had gone to the bar and phoned the police and because he was upset he had been escorted outside the club to wait for the police to arrive.

As he was waiting outside a group of men had come out and had been swearing at him.

Dickinson claimed that one of the men – Stephen Fitzpatrick, who hadn't been involved in the earlier incident with his son – had come towards him and fearing that he was going to be hit him Dickinson had butted him in the mouth causing a cut which later needed stitches.

"I feared for my own safety because I thought the men were going to beat me up," he said.

Dickinson, 27, of St Edmunds Close, Woodbridge, has denied assaulting Mr Fitzpatrick and affray.

The trial continues.