Ciaran Rankin represents defendant charged with Affray

R v RM (Preston Crown Court)

The defendant  was caught on CCTV kicking a man who was lying on the floor.

The background was that following verbal dispute the man that was subsequently seen on the floor had produced a knife. He then used that knife  and a broken bottle to slash the brother of RM

This resulted in horrendous facial injuries

RMs brother recounted how he thought that he had been blinded and thought that his nose had been cut off. 

RM reacted to this by attacking this man and when he went to the floor he carried on that attack.

Once on the floor RM said he began to kick him in order to ensure that he could not regain his feet and attack again

The issue was whether what was seen on CCTV as against the background of the attack on RMs brother could be termed reasonable in terms of self-defence.

NG verdict