Two Polish men who fought after a party in Inverness blamed each other for starting it, a court heard yesterday.
David Dubrowski, 34, denies assaulting sous chef Oskar Milar to his injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment in Aird Avenue, on April 12 by repeatedly punching and kicking him and biting his nose and his hand.
Dabrowski, of 15 The Moorings, Anderson Street, Inverness, was in the dock at the city’s Sheriff Court.
His solicitor Marc Dickson lodged a special defence of self defence before the jury trial began.
Using interpreters, the jury heard Milar claim that Dabrowski attacked him as they were having a cigarette outside the property in the Hilton area of the city.
He said: “There had been an incident about 15 minutes earlier which was exaggerated. We went outside and I had two puffs of my cigarette when I was punched in the face three times.
“We were pulled part and I was covered in blood, bleeding from my nose. I went in to clean up and saw Dawid there.
“I told him that men don’t fight like that and if he wanted a fight then he should tell me so I can prepare for it. Other people at the party were telling me to go home and I went back outside after I spoke to him and we agreed to fight in the street and not the house out of respect.
“I said if you think you are hard and brave, then we start at zero and not when I was not expecting it. There are rules. My pride was hurt.
“I waited for a while and he came out. He said to me that if I wanted to fight then I should hit him. I didn’t want to hit him first.
“Nothing happened and he turned to go inside and I pushed him lightly in the back. I was saying things to him and he turned round and I hit him in the face at the same time as he hit me.
“I got him in a headlock and got him to the ground. We were on out side face to face and it was then that he bit me on the nose and would not let go.
“It was the biggest shock of my life. I was shouting let go let go and I managed to open his mouth with my hands. He then bit me on the finger and would not let go.”
Mr Milar said the fight was again broken up and that he went home before going to the hospital the following day.
He told the jury he had two operations on his finger which was infected and was off work for a month and a half.
“I still don’t have feeling in it and I can’t bend it.” Mr Milar added.
He will be cross-examined by Mr Dickson when the trial resumes this morning.