A Labour Party and pro-Palestine activist left a jewish barrister with a broken nose and torn retina after an intense late-night row in a Hampstead pub, a court heard today.
Union Man: Dennis McNulty
Ex-school caretaker and local artist Dennis McNulty, 60, repeatedly punched 63 year-old intellectual property rights specialist Tim Ludbrook, knocking him unconscious, the jury were told.
“My nose was broken in two places and I was very lucky not to lose the sight in one eye,” the Lincoln’s Inn counsel told Isleworth Crown Court.
The pair clashed verbally inside busy King William IV pub in Hampstead High Street on August 3, 2018 after exchanging banter on previous occasions about their opposing political views.
The lawyer admits lunging at McNulty inside the pub. “He knew he got me, a Tory barrister to react badly. He enjoyed that, but it is intolerable to have this racially-charged behaviour inflicted upon you.
“On that occasion I let it get the better of me.”
GMB union activist McNulty was ejected by pub staff, but attacked Mr Ludbrook outside in nearby Heath Street as the lawyer sat on a bench, the court heard.
“I will forever see him in that moment for the rest of my life. It is as clear as day, seared on my memory.
“There he was, bearing down at me and moments later he was striking me around the head from both sides and I don’t recall anything else until I came around.
“I can remember counting them and by six I was out. I was lying on the pavement and a woman was trying to stop the bleeding.”
The lawyer concedes calling McNulty a: “Hamas-loving bastard,” inside the pub, but insists this was after an evening of intimidation by the defendant.
“He was introduced to me as an ardent member of the Labour Party and I am well-known for being on the other side of the political spectrum,” said Mr Ludbrook.
“He told me he was a senior official in a trades union and I told him if I went on one of his marches then he would have to come on one of mine for Jacob Rees-Mogg.”
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| Lincoln's Inn: Tim Ludbrook |
Somebody in Mr Ludbrook’s group brought up the subject of the Gaza Strip and McNulty began criticising Israel, the lawyer told the court.
“He was swearing about the Tory government and intended to try and inflame the situation with his language and said: ‘You can’t support those f***ing c****.’
“He must have thought I was supporting them because I am a Conservative and I told him: ‘Yes, I am Jewish and a supporter of Israel.’
“It was like lighting a blue touch paper and he said: ‘It’s always you f***ing people, you’re always the problem.’
“He said he was going to show what kind of f***ing person I was on social media and started recording with his phone.
“The really aggressive stuff started when he goaded me into revealing my ethnicity. He’s obviously got some view about jews.
“It was not a sensible thing I said to him about being a ‘Hamas-loving bastard’, but I had enough.
“I lunged toward him, I lost my temper, I suppose I wanted to grab him by the throat, but someone else came in between us.
“He said: ‘You’re f***ing dead, I’m going to have you,’ and the pub staff removed him.”
McNulty denies hitting the complainant and claims Mr Ludbrook would sarcastically greet him with: “Power to the people,” but the lawyer denied this.
He also denied McNulty’s claim he said: “We need to get rid of the Palestinians. I want gas chambers built to get rid of them all.”
“I wouldn’t say that, even joking,” insisted the barrister. “That’s genocide.”
Prosecutor Margia Mostafa told the jury Mr Ludbrook was taken to the Royal Free Hospital at 2.15 am and treated for a fractured nose, plus later laser treatment on his eye.
In the pub McNulty had goaded the victim she said, asking: “Are you jewish? You’re jewish aren’t you?
“I’m going to f*** you up you c***. You’re Israeli.”
McNulty, of New End School House, Streatley Place, Hampstead has pleaded not guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent.
Trial continues…………
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