A 65-year-old man who suffered a dislocated shoulder in an alleged late night row with two fellow residents at an Ipswich sheltered housing complex has claimed that one of the men charged at him “like a bull”.

Christopher Grimes told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court the incident had started after he heard loud banging on the window of his flat at the Hanover Housing complex in Back Hamlet at about midnight on August 24/25 last year.

When he looked outside he saw fellow residents Hugh Balfour, 75, and Robert Carson, 70, helping another resident, who was “hopelessly drunk”, back to his flat.

He told the court he had a “very bad” relationship with Balfour and claimed that when he complained about the banging on his window Balfour had started swearing at him.

Mr Grimes went into his flat and got a Dictaphone and when Balfour walked back past his flat a few minutes later he had recorded him swearing and being abusive towards him.

He claimed that Balfour had then butted him in the face causing him to fall to the ground with Balfour on top of him.

He alleged that Balfour had tried to punch and kick him while they were on the ground and said that when he struggled to get away he felt a pain in his left shoulder, which he later discovered was dislocated.

Mr Grimes said he had hit Balfour two or three times in a bid to break free and had kicked him in the chest while he was on his knees in a final attempt to get away.

He claimed that Carson had then charged at him like “an enraged bull” causing him to fall into a bush with Carson on top of him.

He claimed that Carson had then tried to hit him a couple of times before Balfour had allegedly kicked him twice in the face.

Balfour and Carson have denied assaulting Mr Grimes, causing him actual bodily harm and Carson has denied an offence of assault by beating.

The trial continues.