Barking teen acquitted after bottling man in face at Romford Greyhound Stadium
The attack was at the Romford Greyhound Stadium. Picture: Heidi Birch/iWitness - Credit: citizenside.com
A teenager who fractured a man’s nose with a bottle at a dog track walked free from court yesterday after insisting he acted in self-defence.
Sam Chew, 19, of Westrow Drive, Barking, left Robert Lewis with blood streaming down his face after the incident at the Coral Romford Greyhound Stadium, in London Road, Romford.
He told jurors Mr Lewis was the aggressor and had insulted some of his friends and grabbed a bottle, forcing him to defend himself and a 17-year-old girl.
Mr Lewis admitted in court he raised his voice and became aggressive during the row.
“One of the girls came up to me and called me a dickhead. She was just shouting at me,” he said.
“When they came across to me calling me names, yes, I did raise my voice and get aggressive.”
Mr Chew breathed a sigh of relief as he was cleared by a jury at the Old Bailey after four hours’ deliberation, following the end of a two-day trial.
Most Read
- 1 Dagenham man jailed for 12 years for punching to death Marius Lakavicius
- 2 Dagenham man fined within hours of fly-tipping at bus stop
- 3 Major tube strike to follow Queen's Platinum Jubilee long weekend
- 4 'Beautiful skin and incredible smile': What happened when the Queen visited a Dagenham school
- 5 VOTE: Which east London fish and chip shop is your favourite?
- 6 West Ham's Kurt Zouma admits to kicking and slapping his cat
- 7 Girl, 17, held on suspicion of terrorism offences after east London arrest
- 8 The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee flypast: Where, and when, the planes will fly over north and east London
- 9 Zouma brothers to face the courts amid animal abuse allegations
- 10 Police appeal after intruder reportedly enters Barking home and threatens woman with knife
He had struck Mr Lewis on the bridge of his nose with the bottle on October 5 last year, the court heard
He was arrested at the scene but told police immediately that he acted in self-defence because Mr Lewis had picked up a bottle.
He also suggested Mr Lewis had called his teenage friends “slags”.
Mr Chew denied wounding with intent and unlawful wounding. He was acquitted on both counts.
Read more:
Suspended sentence for man who exposed himself at Barking station