The trial of a performer accused of smashing a glass into the face of an audience member continued at the Eastern Law Courts on Tuesday. Gary Stephen Jackson is charged with one count of wounding following the alleged incident at the Hong Kong Brew House in March.
Jackson – who pleaded not guilty – and the victim, Ravi Kanasamoorthe, gave testimony on the second day of the trial.
Kanasamoorthe told the court that he had told Jackson that a joke he told on stage sounded racist and the pair then exchanged dialogue. He said that Jackson was very “calm and collected” before he “silently walked up, grabbed a pint, and smashed it in my face.”
Kanasamoorthe also said that he did not make any attempt to approach the stage up to the point when the pint glass made contact with his face. He also said he had stood up as the pair spoke to each other but he did not move away from the table.
Jackson told the court that he had grabbed the beer to “cool [Kanasamoorthe] down and swish it on his head” but it “made contact.” He also said that Kanasamoorthe was approaching him as he was getting off the stage.
“The beer was to defend myself without fighting,” he said, as Kanasamoorthe “had been screaming throughout the entire set” and Jackson said that he did not know what Kanasamoorthe would do.
The trial continues on Wednesday, when written closing submissions from both sides will be heard.
