Wallingford
Jury out over party punch
A MAN, who knocked out a fellow partygoer with a punch, told friends that "he deserved it", a court heard.
Thomas Hurley, 22, denies causing grievous bodily harm to Andrew Williams, 36, at a party in Bridge End, Dorchester, in February last year. Oxford Crown Court heard Hurley had admitted punching Mr Williams, who is still in a coma - but claimed he did it in self-defence.
Nigel Moore, prosecuting, said Hurley was angry after seeing Mr Williams being aggressive towards his wife, and pursued him into the garden after Mr Williams was ejected from the party.
Mr Moore said to Hurley: "You admit you told people he deserved it."
Hurley, now living in Portland, Dorset, said he did not mean the way it sounded and had only repeated what a friend had said. He said he had gone into the garden to relieve himself and acted in self-defence after Mr Williams launched an attack.
Nigel Daly, defending, said: "Mr Hurley's account is he hit Mr Williams three, four or five times - enough to knock him to the ground."
Mr Daly said Hurley would have been "suicidal" to deliberately pick a fight with Mr Williams because he was bigger, older and stronger than him. He added: "He reacted and he reacted instinctively.
"He hit him until he went to the ground.
"When he went to the ground there was a pause and the man didn't get up.
"And then what? He never hit or touches him again in any violent way. He didn't carry on kicking him or stamp on his head.
"Nothing happened. He was no longer a danger."
He claimed Mr Williams's injuries were consistent with the back of his head hitting rocks or a tree stump in the garden.
The jury in the week-long case has retired to consider its verdict.
3:18pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
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