Bar manager claims self-defence

A bar manager has gone on trial on wounding charges following an incident which left a country and western musician with broken bones in his face, needing titanium plates to be inserted.
Ohingaiti Royal Hotel bar manager David Delacy-Parkes, 54, appeared in Wanganui District Court yesterday on alternative charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm or, if applicable, wounding with intent to injure.
The charges relate to events on the evening and early morning of December 13 and 14, 2009.
Crown solicitor Megan Jaquiery told the jury that the complainant, William (Bill) Nelson, was a guest at the Royal Hotel.
Mr Nelson had been playing in a country and western band at the hotel and, following his performance, was drinking in the hotel's bar on the evening of December 13 with his partner, together with Delacy-Parkes and Delacy-Parkes' partner, who was also the publican.
Eventually, Mr Nelson's partner went to bed, leaving the other three drinking in the bar.
Mr Nelson said the last thing he remembered of that night was seeing Delacy-Parkes and his partner having an argument, and himself standing up to intervene.
His next memory was waking at 8am on a sofa in the bar, with blood covering his face, chest, jeans and hat.
From there he and his partner went to the Taihape Medical Centre to receive treatment for his injuries, before going to Wanganui District Hospital for scans and X-rays.
At the hospital it was discovered that Mr Nelson had fractured Accused claims self-defence
bones around both his eye sockets and his lower jaw, which required surgery to have titanium plates inserted into his face. He was also suffering from scratches, lacerations and bruising.
Ms Jaquiery told the jury they would be shown a police interview with Delacy-Parkes, in which he said Mr Nelson was very drunk, and he had acted in self-defence for his partner.
In the interview, Delacy-Parkes would say he punched Mr Nelson two or three times in the head and that Mr Nelson fell and hit his head on the bar, knocking himself out.
He would say that he called 111 and asked for an ambulance, but Mr Nelson regained consciousness and did not want an ambulance, so he rang back and cancelled it.
Delacy-Parkes would also say the incident happened on the evening of December 13 and not the early hours of the 14th.
Phone records showed that two 111 calls were made, one at 4.22am and another at 4.32am but neither were connected to the ambulance service, Ms Jaquiery said.
Defence counsel Peter Coles said the common factor between the charges was intent, and the jury would have to determine what Delacy-Parkes' intent was.
It was of "fundamental importance" that they kept in mind that to act in self-defence, which included acting in the defence of someone else, was not unlawful. The trial, before Judge John Clapham, continues today.