Man denies starting confrontation where he was allegedly ‘pushed off’ Felixstowe promenade

An electrician who claims he was pushed off the promenade at Felixstowe on to the beach and then hit over the head as he tried to climb back up during a confrontation with another man has denied being the aggressor during the incident.

Lewis Peters, who suffered two cuts to his head during the alleged incident, said he had followed 53-year-old Martyn Bell to the seafront because he thought he was squatting in a nearby block of flats where his girlfriend’s mother lived.

He said he and his girlfriend had called the police after Bell had allegedly sworn at them and said he was a squatter when they knocked at the door of the flat, which had been unoccupied for a number of years and had fallen into a state of disrepair.

Mr Peters said he had heard banging coming from the flat in Granville Road and thought Bell was barricading himself in.

He said he had tried to stop Bell leaving the premises until the police arrived by grabbing him in a bear hug after Bell allegedly pushed him out of the way.

When Bell left the flats Mr Peters followed him to the promenade where Bell allegedly shoved him, causing him to fall from the promenade on to the beach.

He claimed Bell then hit him on the top of the head with an electric drill as he climbed back on to the promenade and had then “swiped” him across the forehead with the drill after he ran at him.

He accepted he may have punched Bell after being hit with the drill the second time.

He denied he was the aggressor during the incident.

Bell, 53, of Bury Road, Thorpe Morieux, has denied assaulting Mr Peters on April 20 last year.

He told police he had feared for his life after Mr Peters came towards him like a “raging bull”.

He denied pushing Mr Peters off the promenade, but admitted hitting him with a drill he was holding in self-defence.

Bell told police he owned the flat and was cleaning it up before selling it.

The case continues.