Wem bottle attack case jury told of victim's injuries

Arron Chelmick, aged 25, of High Street, Wem, has denied glassing another man causing a wound which required 18 stitches.

Chelmick is accused of wounding Benjamin Goulding on July 6 last year.

A witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was called to the stand at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday, and told how he was with Mr Goulding on a car park in Noble Street,when Chelmick allegedly threw a glass bottle at the back of Mr Goulding’s head.

The witness said that Mr Goulding was on a push bike heading home at the time, but got off the bike when he was hit by the bottle, before rugby tackling Chelmick to the ground.

The case so far:

• Victim needed 18 stitches to his face after Wem bottle attack, court told

• Man injured in Wem bottle attack, court told

He said Chelmick then smashed a second glass bottle on Mr Goulding’s face before getting him in a head lock and using the broken neck of the bottle to cut his face.

He said: “It was like a flap of skin hanging off his face, it was bleeding everywhere.

“I tried to make him sit and wrap my jumper around his face but he wouldn’t listen. Arron walked back the way he came.”

Mr Paul Smith, for the defendant, questioned why the witness had only come forward to make a statement this week.

The witness said he gave his details but the police did not get in touch.

Mr Smith said: “The truth of what happened is that Ben had an argument with another friend.

“Arron was shouting to Ben to calm down and no bottle was thrown.

“Ben stopped cycling and threw his bike down on the floor, it was whilst on the floor that Ben got his injuries as Ben was on the floor as well.”

Another witness was called to the stand, Nikita Higgins, who was a friend of the group.

She said there had been an argument among the group because someone had spilled a fizzy drink over Mr Goulding’s girlfriend.

She also said that Mr Goulding was trying to leave on his bike when he was hit with a bottle on the back of his head.

“Arron walked towards Ben as if he was going to fight him,” she added.

“Arron had another bottle and Ben got Arron by the legs and took him to the floor.

“Arron got Ben in a headlock and squeezed the bottle in his arm until it smashed against his face.

“You could clearly see the bottle had shattered and gone all in Ben’s face.”

Miss Higgins then said she left to go to Chelmick’s flat as his girlfriend asked her to see where he was.

She said: “He took his top off and asked me to go and put his top in the bin by the church, but I gave it to my boyfriend.”

Chelmick, also known as Arron Harding or Arron Bate, denies wounding.

The trial continues.