Newport teenager denies punching man who lost a tooth in street attack
A Newport teenager punched another man so hard his tooth was dislodged, a court has heard.
David Cranmer, 19, of Hampton Drive, has denied assaulting Martin Cantwell in the early hours of March 19 last year in Newport town centre.
Prosecuting barrister Philip Beardwell told the trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court that on the evening of March 18, Mr Cantwell and his partner Bethan Brown had gone to Villa Park, in Birmingham, to watch a boxing match along with his friend Glyn Mezzone and his partner Jessica Henshall.
He said that while in Birmingham Ms Brown received a phone call.
“She was told that something had happened to her younger brother, and this defendant’s name was mentioned. She remembered him from school, they were not friends but were at school at the same time,” Mr Beardwell said. “She then told Martin Cantwell what she had been told.”
Mr Beardwell told the court: "The boxing match finished at 11pm and they drove back to Newport. They went to get a kebab in the town.
“As they drove through Newport town centre shortly after midnight Ms Brown noticed the defendant on the pavement in a group of young men. She shouted to him about the earlier incident.
“Martin Cantwell then got out of the car, and Ms Brown says she saw him and David Cranmer talking for 10 to 15 seconds.”
Mr Beardwell said that Mr Mezzone also left the car, and that Mr Cantwell remembered seeing “something that looked like a knuckleduster”, before he was punched by Cranmer.
“He lost a tooth and staggered back briefly. He also suffered an injury to his cheek and his left eye. He was insensible or unconscious for a very brief time, and blood was sprayed on Ms Brown’s car,” said Mr Beardwell.
The court heard that Mr Cantwell and Mr Mezzone got back in Ms Brown’s car and they left shortly after.
The following day, Ms Brown received a Facebook message from Cranmer.
Mr Beardwell said: “This message was asking her for her phone number, and she found the content of the message quite threatening.
“David Cranmer was then arrested and interviewed by police.”
Mr Beardwell said that in police interviews Cranmer denied causing Mr Cantwell actual bodily harm, and said he was confronted by the alleged victim who was being aggressive.
The trial continues.
