A former squaddie today (THURS) offered to hit a f
A former squaddie today (THURS) offered to hit a female barrister to demonstrate
how a tube traveller attacked a passenger with a bottle.
Beefy Michael Hall recalled how ‘paranoid nutter’ Paul Robinson, 39, barged onto
the packed Central Line train, waving his Lucozade bottle at passenger’s heads.
He said Robinson called Hayley Bradley a ‘white slag’ before lashing out at the
pair with the glass container.
But Nicola Makanjuola, defending Robinson, claimed Mr Hall dreamt up the bottle
because he told police he had been hit by a can.
She said: ‘You did not actually see Mr Robinson hit the woman with the bottle.
‘Someone else suggested he had a bottle with him.
‘
A furious Mr Hall replied: ‘I do not know where you are getting these questions
from love.
‘If you want to come over here, I will show you how it was done.
‘I did not see him actually physically strike her.
‘But I felt the bottle on my head love.
‘
Southwark Crown Court heard how Robinson boarded the eastbound carriage at Bank
station.
Mr Hall described how dread-locked Robinson began scaring passengers.
He said: ‘A paranoid nutter came on the train and started threatening us.
‘He was holding the bottle in a threatening way.
‘He started joisting (CORR) the bottle at people’s heads.
‘He was mumbling and swearing to himself but I could not understand what he was
saying.
‘He came towards me and I knew something was wrong.
Everyone went quiet.
‘He was going up to people and they were moving back and then he went up to the
girl (Ms Bradley) sitting next to me.
‘She was scared – everyone was scared of that man and everyone knew something wa
s going to happen.
‘He tried to hold onto the pole but missed it and clipped Ms Bradley’s shoulder
with his hand.
‘The man started saying: ”You white bitch, you slag, me going to cut you.
‘He then hit her – he knew what he was doing.
‘Miss Bradley was crying and shaking and was holding onto me.
‘I said to her: ”You will be alright, I am not getting off.
‘He heard me and said: ”Are you a hard man?” and I said: ”No, just leave the
bird alone.
”
‘He then hit me on the head with the bottle about 10 times – I had to have four
stitches.
‘
Mr Hall said the pair wrestled on the train before Robinson was eventually arres
ted at Liverpool Street.
He went on: ‘I was protecting her.
I am a normal bloke and I am not going to let
her get hurt.
‘I wanted to prevent him doing damage to people.
‘When we got to the station, he tried to walk away but I went after him because
I wanted the bloke nicked.
‘He jumped on another train and I followed him and pulled the emergency cord and
said: ”You are not getting away with this.
‘
Ms Bradley said she was left shocked after the attack and added: ‘I knew it was
going to happen.
‘It was not an accident.
He did it deliberately, I am sure.
‘
Robinson, of (321) Canhall Road, Leytonstone, east London denies two charges of
causing actual bodily harm on November 29 1999.
He claims he fell into Mr Hall and Ms Bradley as the train lurched forward and t
old detectives ‘they overacted.
‘
The trial continues.
ends
MMMM
