A 65-year-old was attacked by his drunken 75-year-old neighbour at a sheltered housing complex before being assaulted by the man’s 70-year-old friend, a court heard.
The complainant Christopher Grimes was sober during the alleged late night attack in Back Hamlet, Ipswich, which he said left him with a dislocated left shoulder.
Ipswich Crown Court heard Hugh Balfour, 75, and Robert Carson, 70, who also live at the Hanover Housing-owned premises, deny actual bodily harm.
The alleged assault occurred between 11.50pm on August 24 last year and about 1am the following day.
Giving evidence Mr Grimes claimed he had previously been abused by Mr Balfour and other tenants.
As a result he was advised to keep a Dictaphone with him to record any future incidents.
The jury heard on the night of the alleged assault Mr Grimes heard banging on his window and shouting.
He said when he looked outside Balfour and Carter were drunk and helping another tenant back to his flat as he could not walk due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed. The trio were with a female tenant who was sober.
Mr Grimes described Balfour, who lives two doors away, as “staggering”.
Mr Grimes said: “I told them to move away. Their object was to carry (the other man) back to the flat because he was just so drunk.”
The 65-year-old then went outside to ensure their was no damage to his property.
Balfour returned after about two or three minutes, the court heard.
Mr Grimes told the court: “He said ‘well, what a faggot.
At one stage during a further exchange played to the court on the Dictaphone tape Balfour is alleged to have said: “Now give me a kiss.”
Mr Grimes said things turned violent: “(Balfour) then reached forward and tried to headbutt me which connected with my face and my nose.
“Because he was so drunk and because of his weight he fell on top of me, lurched over and I fell beneath him.
“He fell on top of me and was constantly trying to punch me and kick me.
“I struggled to get back to my feet. As I did so I hit him with my fist a couple of times and think I kicked him to get away and just be rid of him.”
Carson was then alleged to have assaulted Mr Grimes who said: “He just charged at me like an enraged bull.”
The pair ended up by a bush with Carson on top.
Mr Grimes told the jury: “(He) tried to hit me a number of times. Then Mr Balfour comes up and is trying to kick me all over my body. Mr Balfour just kept kicking and kicking me – twice to the face, I think once to the head and the remainder to the body.”
The police were alerted after Mr Grimes said he managed to get away.
The trial continues.
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