Jury retires in Rohan Ince trial as Brighton footballer stands accused of hitting bouncer with Jack Daniels bottle
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The jury has retired in the trial of Rohan Ince, the Brighton midfielder who is accused of bottling a nightclub bouncer on Christmas Day.
Ince, 24, denies wounding with intent outside Windsor nightclub Atik in the early hours of Christmas morning after a night out on December 24 in 2015.
Doorman Gregor Jurcic, 27, required seven staples in his head after suffering a "nasty" head injury in the alleged attack, Reading Crown Court heard.
Up to 500 people had gathered outside the nightclub, on Victoria Street, between 3.30am and 4am on that Christmas morning.
Ince, who is currently on loan at Swindon Town, is said to have jumped up and hit Mr Jurcic, who was helping police disperse revellers at the time, in a "slam dunk".
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: PA)
But the footballer denied carrying out the attack, insisting he had not been holding a bottle and that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Jurors were told Mr Jurcic's blood was found on a distinctive green bomber jacket Ince was wearing that night.
But in evidence read to the court, forensic expert Helen Davies cast doubt on whether the stain was caused during the attack or afterwards.
In a statement she said: "In my opinion I would not expect a transfer of Gregor Jurcic's blood on to Rohan Ince's jacket as a result of hitting Mr Jurcic over the head with a bottle from behind, as alleged."
Instead it could have got there when Mr Jurcic - by then bleeding heavily - approached Ince as he was being restrained on the ground by a police officer and another doorman.
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: PA)
Ms Davies said: "In my opinion, although I would not expect a transfer of Gregor Jurcic's blood on to Rohan Ince's jacket as a result of the original incident, a transfer of blood is within my expectations given that Gregor Jurcic returned to Rohan Ince while he was bleeding heavily.
"In my opinion the findings in relation to the blood pattern do not assist in addressing the issue of whether or not Rohan Ince was involved in assaulting Gregor Jurcic."
Neither Ince nor his brother, with whom he was out on the night in question, were called to give evidence.
But in police interviews played and read to the court, Ince said he was "gobsmacked" at being arrested.
He told officers that after leaving the club some time after 3am he went to help his brother, who was being repeatedly punched by another man during a confrontation in the street nearby.
After punching his brother's assailant Ince said he himself was attacked, and after the fracas escalated near the club he tripped while running away and was then "mounted" by a police officer and a doorman.
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: PA)
Ince, of Ashford, Middlesex, said in interview: "I didn't touch a bottle in that whole period of time, let alone attack someone. I think they misidentified me."
He claimed he was mistakenly identified by another bouncer simply because he was tall and wearing a green jacket, and so stood out.
He said: "I can't stress enough how I did not attack a bouncer. I would never feel a reason to bottle anyone anywhere, let alone a bouncer who is trying to protect everyone."
The court also heard that no fingerprints were found on the fragments of Jack Daniels bottle recovered at the scene.
And "potentially very significant" CCTV footage that was likely captured by a nearby camera was never available as police "dropped a clanger" in failing to access it before it was erased.
Ince denies a single charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and jurors were told they can consider a statutory alternative of the lesser charge of unlawful wounding, without the intent to cause serious harm.