A TEENAGER told a jury how he was repeatedly hit over the head with a bat on Portland.
Michael Green, 17, took to the stand at Dorchester Crown Court in the trial of Alexander William Graham who is accused of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The 56-year-old father, of Fleet View in Wyke Regis, has pleaded not guilty to the charge in relation to Mr Green.
Prosecutor Simon Foster previously told the court the assault took place on December 1, 2009, in Harding House in Woolcombe Road, Portland.
Mr Green, who was aged 16 at the time, told the jury Graham came into the block of flats and asked him: ‘Why didn’t you help my daughter when she was getting bullied?’ before beating him with the bat.
The court heard that Graham’s question related to an incident that took place earlier that evening between Graham’s 12-year-old daughter and Stephanie Smith who was with Mr Green, along with four other friends, at the time.
Mr Green agreed when asked by Francisca Da Costa, defending, that he was present when Miss Smith began to bully the 12-year-old outside the Kimberlin Club where she attended Sea Cadets.
He told the jury: “The man was saying: ‘Why didn’t you help my daughter?’ and I said I didn’t know his daughter. He was swinging a bat at me and it hit me. The second time I caught it with my left hand and I hit him to try to defend myself.
“I can’t really say how many times I was hit across the head with it after that.
“I had blood all over my top and I had double vision.”
The jury heard statements read out by Mr Foster which stated Mr Green, who was treated at hospital, suffered bruising, swelling, a cut to his head, an injury on the back of his fingers and cranial nerve palsy where he experienced double vision.
When Miss Da Costa suggested to Mr Green it was him who was the aggressor in the situation he replied: “No, I hit him in self-defence.
“To be honest, I was a little boy then and I didn’t know how to fight.”
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article