A BLACKBURN dentist allegedly dragged a man out of his waiting room and left him lying on the pavement because of a row over wages owed to his daughter.

Blackburn magistrates heard the victim claimed the attack was unprovoked.

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Dentist Holger Held claimed Barry Snowden had gone to the surgery with a pair of scissors and he acted in self-defence.

But Mr Snowden claimed he had used the scissors to cut the fat off his bacon when he went for a sandwich at Asda.

Held, 55, of Crosshill Road, Blackburn, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Barry Snowden.

Rachael Parker, prosecuting, said Mr Snowden’s daughter had worked for Held as a dental nurse.

There was a dispute over unpaid wages and Mr Snowden went to the surgery on his own. “He wanted to speak to the defendant about the unpaid wages,” said Miss Parker. “He was told to leave by the receptionist and then by the defendant but refused.”

Miss Parker said Mr Snowden was sitting in reception when Held appeared and pushed him over. He put his knee on his chest and then pulled him along the floor, along the corridor and out on to the pavement.

Mr Snowden told the court he suffered from spondilitis, arthritis and trapped nerves and was in constant pain.

On the day of the incident he had been to Burnley General Hospital for treatment for contact dermatitis on his hands and on the way back went to the cafe at Asda for a bacon butty.

He said he always took scissors with him to cut the fat off his bacon and had forgotten they were in his pocket when he decided to go to Netherwood dental surgery.

After the incident Held came back into the reception area with the scissors in his hand and put them on the desk.

But Mr Snowden said the first time he saw them was when Held picked them up off the pavement outside. “I knew straight away what he would be claiming,” said Mr Snowden.

Held said Mr Snowden had the weapon and had come to the surgery demanding money.

Trainee dental nurse Fatima Patel said she was upstairs when she heard a colleague shouting; “Holger no, Holger no, you can’t do that.” She looked down and saw Mr Snowden being dragged along the floor by his wrists by her employer.

Dental receptionist, Elaine Gill said she had see Held drag Mr Snowden to the floor and then drag him out of the surgery.

(Proceeding)