AN ELECTRICIAN has denied kicking a man in the face and breaking his jaw during an argument at a pub.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court, Daniel Knights, 23, claimed Thomas Donegan, the victim of the alleged attack, had punched him to the ground and then kicked him in the head.

Daniel Knights, of Valley Road, Leiston, and his brother Adam Knights, 25, of Saxon Road, Saxmundham, both pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Donegan with intent on December 23, 2010, and a less serious charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

After hearing legal submissions from Adam Knights’ barrister Noel Casey at the end of the prosecution case, Judge John Devaux directed the jury to find Adam Knights not guilty of both charges because of insufficient evidence.

The court has heard the brothers had been attending a pre-Christmas drinks party at the White Horse Hotel in Leiston and had been asked to leave after allegedly becoming involved in a scuffle in the smoking area.

The brothers had returned to the premises and Daniel Knights had allegedly become involved in an argument with Mr Donegan outside the hotel and punched him.

Mr Donegan was upset and walked through the hotel to an outside patio area where there was a confrontation during which he was allegedly punched by Daniel Knights and knocked to the ground.

Mr Donegan was then allegedly kicked by while he was on the ground and the incident had come to an end after Daniel Knights allegedly delivered a particularly forceful kick which was described by a witness as “sickening”.

Mr Donegan was found to have a broken jaw and underwent surgery to have a metal plate inserted in his jaw.

Giving evidence yesterday Daniel Knights said he had been standing on a patio outside the pub when Mr Donegan had shouted through a gate that he was going to kick his head in.

Knights said he had gone to grab him through the gate but had not made contact. Mr Donegan had walked off and shortly afterwards Knights saw Mr Donegan and two of his friends come out on to the patio.

He claimed Mr Donegan had come straight for him and had punched him to the ground and then kicked him in the head while one of his friends pinned him down.

Knights said one of his friends had pulled Mr Donegan away to stop him kicking him.

Cross-examined by prosecution counsel Richard Kelly Daniel Knights denied he had kicked Mr Donegan in the head while he was on the ground to “teach him a lesson”.

The trial continues.