A ROW over beer at an ex-landlord's pub allegedly erupted into violence in which a roofer's nose and eye socket were smashed.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Ian Campbell, now 61, who had previously accused Noel Nelligan of selling inferior beer and passing it off as Carling Black Label, was butted several times and kneed in the groin by Nelligan, 43, in a two-part melee, the start of which was dubbed 'handbags at dawn'.

Meanwhile, the former licensee's girlfriend, Rita Richardson, 39, was said to have jumped on Mr Campbell's back and bit him.

Mr Campbell told the jury he was in pain, dizzy, his eyes were blurred and he couldn't think straight after the alleged attack at the Junction in Rosegrove, Burnley, in November 1997, and was later taken to hospital.

The court heard how the complainant, who was said to have been taken down into the cellar and shown the Carling Black Label when Nelligan was running the Griffin public house, suffered a broken nose, fracture to his left eye socket and a cheek injury.

Nelligan, of Fenwick Street, denied inflicting grievous bodily harm. Richardson, of Florence Avenue, both Burnley, pleaded not guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

David Banks, who was in the Junction, said he heard a disturbance and there was a scuffle. Nelligan and Mr Campbell were separated but started again. Both were attacking each other.

A woman went over and swung on Mr Campbell's back and the alleged victim was trying to protect himself but couldn't. Nelligan then butted Mr Campbell in the face at least two or three times, and Mr Campbell went to the floor, bleeding. He was 'out cold' for a few minutes.

Paul Hague, for Nelligan, suggested Mr Campbell was not the victim of an unprovoked attack and that he had been drinking and was offensive about the beer.

Mr Campbell denied that and said it was not true there was pulling and pushing or that he was not headbutted nor kneed.

Ciaran Rankin, defending Richardson, suggested it was not her on Mr Campbell's back and said some women had tried to separate Nelligan and the complainant.

Mr Rankin: "You have made an application for compensation and have been boasting that you are going to get Miss Richardson done for this and get compensation from her."

Mr Campbell retorted: "That's absolute rubbish."

(Proceeding)

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.