Brighton and Hove Albion defensive midfielder Rohan Ince has denied wounding a night club bouncer with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Ince, 24, of Ashford, Middlesex, is accused of smashing a Jack Daniels bottle over the head of 27-year-old Gregor Jurcic.
The impact caused a 2in to 3in cut which required seven staples and left Mr Jurcic with scarring.
The footballer, currently on loan at Swindon Town, is alleged to have bottled the bouncer from behind outside the Atik night club, in William Street, Windsor, in the early hours of Christmas Day.
The jury in court 5 at Reading Crown Court was told that it was accepted that Mr Jurcic was the victim of a vicious attack.
He was working with the police, who were outnumbered, to break up a boisterous crowd shortly after 3.30am and was trying to help restrain a man who was being aggressive.
Nigel Daly, prosecuting, said that Ince, who is 6ft 3in tall, jumped up and hit Mr Jurcic with the whiskey bottle in a “slam dunk” style move. The attack was seen by another bouncer, Michael Zgorzalek.
Ince denies that he was the person who carried out the attack. He said during a police interview that he had punched a man who had hit his brother.
But Mr Daly said that as Ince ran from the scene he was tackled by a police officer. As the police officer took down Ince, the player let go of the bottle and it span across the road.
The bottle spinning away from Mr Ince was captured on CCTV, the jury was told. And Mr Jurcic’s blood was found on the jacket that Ince had been wearing.
Mr Jurcic admitted in his evidence to the court that he had not seen his attacker.
The trial, before Judge Paul Dugdale, continues tomorrow (Tuesday 14 February).
