Court hears how fight followed glass attack

Nov 6 2008

A COURT was this week told how a rammy broke out in the grounds of a Lanarkshire pub after a steward was struck on the head with a tumbler.

Steward Adam Korycinski told Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday that Hamilton woman Tracey Ward hit him with the glass around closing time after she and her friends were asked to leave the premises.

After she did so, he said, “everyone around us started to fight”.

Ms Ward (26) and her brother, Thomas (24), pleaded not guilty to committing a breach of the peace at the Bizarre Bar in Strathclyde Park.

They were accused of refusing to leave the pub on February 25 last year and shouting, swearing and conducting themselves in a disorderly manner.

Ms Ward, of Pitreavie Court, also denied striking Mr Korycinski on the face with a glass to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Her brother, of Fraser Crescent, further pleaded not guilty to kicking steward Thomas Wlottkowski in the face and punching Mr Korycinski in the face, injuring both of the men.

However, Mr Ward claimed he had been acting in self defence when he attacked Mr Wlottkowski and Mr Korycinski.

Giving evidence on Monday, Mr Korycinski told the court he had been radioed to go to the beer garden.

When he got there he saw a group of two women and three men who had refused to put their drinks down and leave the premises.

Two of his colleagues were already at the scene and Mr Korycinski told a woman there to finish her drink and walk her two male companions to a taxi.

As the stewards walked the men to the taxi, Mr Korycinski said one of the men became aggressive. The man was shouting and trying to hit Mr Korycinski with his hand which the witness tried to grab.

Meanwhile, a woman started running towards him, he said, and hit him on the head with a tumbler which broke on contact.

Fiscal depute Alison McKenna asked Mr Korycinski if he saw the woman who had hit him with the glass in court. He said he did, and pointed to Ms Ward in the dock.

Mr Korycinski said that after being hit with the glass a fight broke out. One of his colleagues held the girl and another whiloe Mr Wlottkowski held one of the men on the ground.

Mr Korycinski alleged that at this point Mr Ward ran towards Mr Wlottkowski and kicked him on the head. Mr Korycinski then identified Mr Ward in the dock as the man responsible.

The steward also said he grabbed one of the men and tried to hold him.

The incident ended, said Mr Korycinski, when he saw a passing police car, flagged it down and officers arrested those who had been involved in the altercation.

Mr Korycinski later went to hospital where he received stitches to cuts on his head. He also said he had been left with scarring on his forehead.

Ms Ward’s solicitor John Costello pointed out that no parts of the smashed glass had been placed before the court.

He put it to the witness that Ms Ward had not hit him with the tumbler.

However, Mr Korycinski replied: “No. It’s not true.”

The jury trial before Sheriff Danny Scullion continues.