Ipswich: Attack accused claims he was at Earl Kitchener on night of alleged assualt to pay his respects to Peter Ralph, whose body was found in river
The Earl Kitchener pub in Ipswich.
A man accused of knocking a man unconscious and breaking his jaw during a confrontation between two groups as they left an illegal rave at a pub in Ipswich has claimed he was acting in self-defence.
Nicholas Salisbury told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that Jack Pugh, the alleged victim of the attack, had punched him twice in the face and then hit him with a bottle.
Salisbury said that after Mr Pugh punched him the face he had hit him back and after Mr Pugh struck him with a bottle he hit him twice more.
“I hit him to make sure he didn’t do anymore damage to me after bottling me,” said Salisbury.
He admitted hitting Mr Pugh with a clenched fist with “some force” resulting in Mr Pugh going to the ground.
He said he had delivered two punches in quick succession to defend himself and not to cause “damage” to Mr Pugh.
The court has heard that Mr Pugh had been to the event at the Earl Kitchener Pub in Hadleigh Road on September 23, 2012, with friends and Salisbury had also been there with some of his friends.
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As they left there was a confrontation and Mr Pugh was seen to swing a punch at Salisbury who then allegedly launched a “violent attack” on Mr Pugh during which he allegedly kicked him in the face.
As a result of the alleged attack Mr Pugh lost consciousness and suffered a facial cut and a broken jaw which required surgery to insert a metal plate and wires.
Salisbury, 26, of Canterbury Close, Ipswich, has denied unlawfully wounding Mr Pugh.
Giving evidence Salisbury said the event at the Earl Kitchener had been in memory of a man called Peter Ralph, whose body was found in the river near Bridge Street in Ipswich.
Salisbury said he had intended to have a quiet night out to pay his respects to Mr Ralph and hadn’t wanted any trouble.
The trial continues today.
