A bouncer on trial for the murder of a north-east dad told his colleague not to punch their alleged victim as a CCTV camera was watching, a court has heard.
Graig Grant died outside Tonik bar in Bon Accord Street, Aberdeen, between August 8 and 9 last year.
This week three stewards, who were manning the door to the pub that night, Kiel Hauley and Adrian Morley, both 33, and Jonas Marcius, 23, went on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen accused of his murder.
The men all deny the charge against them and counsel for Hauley and Marcius have lodged a special defence of self defence.
Yesterday three people who had been near the bar when the alleged incident took place gave evidence for the Crown.
At one point in their evidence all three witnesses said they believed they saw at least one bouncer with his hands round Mr Grant’s neck. They also said, in their opinion at the time of the incident, they did not believe he had been acting in an overly aggressive manner.
Giving evidence yesterday morning Scott Emslie, 25, said he had been approaching the door to Tonik with his friend when he saw one bouncer punch Mr Grant to the face before he was taken to the ground by another.
He said he could not remember exactly what happened but referred to his police statement which was given a day after Mr Grant’s death.
It read: “I saw that the younger looking bouncer looked p*ssed off and threw a punch at the drunk guy who was trying to get back in.”
He was then asked by Advocate Depute James Keegan if he remembered anything being said at the time by any of the bouncers.
He said: “I am particularly interested to know if anything was said when a punch was thrown.”
Mr Emslie said he could not remember and, again, his police statement was placed before him.
The statement read: “I saw the punch connect with his face. I would say that it just connected with his chin and no more.
“The guy that got punched looked shocked. As soon as he was hit the other bouncer, who did not throw the punch, said something like ‘don’t do that there’s a camera watching’.”
Mr Keegan asked Mr Emslie if when he was giving the police the statement he was doing his best to give as accurate a statement as possible.
Mr Emslie said that he had been and said that he had even asked officers to make amendments to the statement after he had read over it.
During cross examination counsel for Kiel Hauley, Frances Connor, asked Mr Emslie if it was possible the punch had not connected.
He replied: “I believe it did.”
The trial, before Lady Wolfe, continues.
