Whitsunday Regional Council mayor Mike Brunker has denied provoking a fight at the Bowen races last August, which made headlines across the nation.
“I’m not a fighter,” Mr Brunker told defence barrister Terry Collins yesterday.
Mr Collins is appearing for Cyril Alfred Vains, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault.
During the first day yesterday of an anticipated three-day hearing, Mr Brunker was the first in a long line of witnesses due to be called.
Mr Brunker told Bowen Magistrates Court yesterday he’d gone to the Ben Bolt Cup meeting last August both to have a day out and be seen by racegoers as he was the Labor candidate at last year’s election.
He’d placed signs at the track’s carpark and the entry gates and was having a beer with council deputy Rogin Taylor and his campaign manager, when Vains told him to remove the signs and leave the track.
An argument followed during which he called Vains a “dog” and a “low, mongrel dog” but didn’t consider that serious abuse.
Mr Brunker also said that Vains called him a liar and a thief, terms he was familiar with during his long time in politics and which no longer upset him.
He said Vains three times challenged him to a fight but he put his hands on his hips and tried to reason with his protagonist.
Going to the carpark after he’d been banned, Mr Brunker said Vains again challenged him to a fight, and “king hit” (got the first punch in), “making me see stars and popping the blackheads on my nose”.
However, the blow wasn’t forceful enough to knock the hat off his head, Mr Brunker said.
Mr Brunker said he’d swung his arms around in an effort at self-protection and couldn’t say whether he connected with Vains’ face and couldn’t comment on how Vains sustained a graze to his nose.
“I had no intention of fighting. I went to the races to enjoy myself and have a punt,” Mr Brunker said.
The hearing is continuing.
No comments:
Post a Comment