Student pub crawl organiser 'punched man who complained about the noise'

Ryan Hilton, 23, from Filey, is accused of assaulting 61-year-old Mark Roberts during a late night incident in Bangor, North Wales, on March 3 last year.

Mr Roberts, a commercial diver who lives in Bangor city centre and near to a number of student venues, told the trial at Llandudno Magistrates he simply wanted reassurance that he would get a good night's sleep.

He said he left his home and approached Hilton shortly before 11pm that night to ask what arrangements were being made to bring the event to a peaceful end but the defendant, Mr Roberts said, replied by telling him to "**** off".

Mr Roberts said as Hilton turned away from him, he put his hand out onto his shoulder and the defendant swooped around and punched him in the chin.

He said he suffered cuts to his chin and was knocked unconscious when the back of his head struck the ground.

Mr Roberts, who had earlier that night attended Choral Evensong at Bangor Cathedral admitted he had consumed a glass of port and a can of Carlsberg lager.

But he insisted he was sober as he needed to be up for work at 5.30am the next day.

He told District Judge Miriam Shelby: "I needed to get to bed. I needed a good night's sleep, hopefully unbroken by the night's event.

"I went out not to object to the event but to enquire what plans they had to bring it to a peaceful end."

Mr Roberts said he was told by a one of Carnage's stewards to speak to Hilton who was nearby with Dave Henderson, a consultant for the company.

Mr Roberts said: "I honestly expected a reasonable response to my question.

"The gentleman I now know to be Ryan Hilton simply said "**** off" and the two of them walked away from me.

"I wasn't quite satisfied with that response so I walked behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"My only intention was to recover his attention.

"He swung round so fast and, with his right hand, he caught me on the chin."

Mr Roberts said as he fell backwards he heard the defendant say: "Get your ****ing hands off me."

The witness added: "When I fell I hit my head on the street and that's what knocked me out."

As he lay on the ground Mr Roberts's partner, Emma, came to his aid and an ambulance and the police were called.

Hilton, from King Street, in Muston, Filey, denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He told Judge Shelby Mr Roberts was drunk and aggressive and he was acting in self defence when he felt Mr Roberts's hand on his shoulder.

The 6-ft 4-ins nightclub bouncer said he turned round and pushed the resident in the chest with the palm of his hand.

Carnage UK has drawn criticism over apparent excessive drinking by students taking part in the company's pub crawls across the country.

Judge Shelby was told around 1,000 students were taking part in the Bangor pub crawl, watched over by 25 volunteer stewards recruited from the local university population.

Following a Carnage night in the city the previous year, North Wales Police had concerns about the event taking place, the court was told.