THE chief bridesmaid at a wedding ceremony broke down in tears as she described seeing a best man continually punching another guest.

Lorraine Venning alleged that barrister Christopher Dunn continued striking out at Blackburn man David Baird-Dean, who was lying motionless on the floor, even as she tried to push him off.

Afterwards, she alleged that Dunn seemed "blase" about what had happened and said he had done it "because he pushed me."

Mrs Venning had got the bridesmaids ready for the ceremony at a church in North Yorkshire, followed by a buffet and disco at the Harefield Hall hotel in Pateley Bridge.

Mr Baird-Dean sustained fractures of his face normally associated with car crash victims in the alleged attack last summer.

Dunn, 40, of Morley, Leeds, is on trial at Preston Crown Court where he denies inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm. He claims he acted in self defence.

He was one of two best men at the ceremony, where a couple renewed their marriage vows, and Mrs Venning described his speech as funny in part, but also containing 'below the belt' humour.

Later, she was sitting at a table with others, she said, when the defendant came over and was asked if he had a rose tattoo on his arm.

He responded "I'll show you a f... rose" and exposed himself, she said.

"I turned away. I was shocked", she told the court. "I think he found it quite funny. He was laughing."

Mrs Venning said Mr Baird-Dean then went to pull the defendant to one side, like someone would with a naughty child, in order to have a word with him. Afterwards, Dunn apologised, she said.

However, she said his tone of voice later changed to "aggressive". He told apparent stories of bravado, speaking about stabbing someone and getting done for gbh, she claimed.

Mrs Venning suggested that Dunn told Mr Baird-Dean he would have 'had him', had it been a different time or a different place.

Mr Baird-Dean asked Dunn if he wanted to talk about it and the two men went down some steps, she said.

She said she went on to run down the steps and could hear continuous slapping sounds, without any break or pause.

She wept as she described seeing Mr Baird-Dean lying on his back, with Dunn knelt on him.

"He was continually punching him, using both fists. David Baird-Dean was just lain there motionless.

"I grabbed hold of Mr Dunn. I was trying to get him off and say 'get off him'. While I was doing that he was still punching him."

Afterwards, she said, she asked the defendant things like "What have you done? What have you done that for? Look at the damage you have done."

Mrs Venning added "He looked at me and said 'because he pushed me'. He seemed so blase about it.

"David's face was so swollen. I could not recognise him. "

proceeding