A group of pub customers have gone on trial accused of a closing time attack on a fellow drinker.

Paul Debone, his partner Rachel Doxey, and their friend Jack Goldsworthy all deny attacking Lewis Bosence inside and outside the Red Lion pub in Axminster in May 2021.

He was left with cuts and bruises to his face and a shoe-shaped mark to his back after the incident, which was partly captured on CCTV.

The three defendants all say they were acting in self defence or in defence of each other and told police at the time that Mr Bosence had threatened to stab Debono.

Debono, aged 40, Doxey, aged 33, both of Tigers Way, Axminster; and Goldsworthy, aged 30, of Dalwood, near Axminster, all deny assault causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Ian Graham, prosecuting, said the incident started in the toilets at the pub shortly before 11.30 pm when Debono headbutted Mr Bosence in the face, leaving him confused and bloody.

He and his girlfriend left the pub but was then confronted by Goldsworthy, who removed his jacket. Mr Bosence’s partner got between them and he was able to walk away but was then approached by Debono, who left the pub and punched him.

Mr Graham said there was then a brawl in which Doxey held Mr Bosence by the jacket while he was hit by the other two and then kicked after falling to the ground.

He said Debono and Doxey both told police in interviews that they acted because Mr Bosence threatened to stab them. Debono said he was attacked in the toilet, rather than the other way around.

Mr Bosence told the jury he had been drinking but was not excessively drunk and could not remember want happened in the pub toilets other than finding himself on the floor covered in blood.

He said he just wanted to get home at that stage and denied being violent or threatening anyone. He said he was so shocked by the attack that he could not remember every detail.

He said: “When you are lying on the floor being kicked by any number of people, it is hard to say exactly when you were kicked in the nose.

“I was in a situation where I was on the floor covering my head and thinking I was going to die.”