Not Guilty Of 'Life Changing' Punch

Not Guilty: Modeste

A husband who received a devastating punch in front of his wife saw the man who delivered the blow walk free after a jury cleared him of GBH today.

Anthony Modeste, 51, was outside his gym in Staines-upon-Thames when a row began between himself and Charlie and Charlotte Simmons, who were in their Land Rover.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard the defendant clashed with the couple on June 5, last year, but he told the jury he acted in self-defence after being threatened and was cleared.

The prosecution alleged Modeste was still angry about something that happened years ago, but he denied this.

The complainant’s wife Charlotte told the trial: “I was in the vehicle and he spat towards my vehicle and kissed his teeth.”

She said Modeste was “loud and aggressive” and got in her face by the side of the Land Rover, causing her husband Charlie to intervene.

He told Modeste: “We don’t want any drama,” Charlotte told the jury.

“He was being aggressive towards me,” she continued. “He did not step back he stepped towards me.”

Modeste claimed he stepped back during the encounter and that Mr Simmons “rushed” towards him with his arms raised.

Modeste admitted throwing a punch, but claimed he did not realise the severity of the impact, believing it caught Mr Simmons’ arm or was just a glancing blow to the top of the head.

“He threw a punch so hard I heard the impact in my left ear,” added Charlotte. “That damage has impacted my husband’s life forever now.

"Damaged": Charlie Simmons

“He came as an aggressor and threw powerful punch to my husband which has changed his and all of our lives forever.

“He swung with intent to seriously harm my husband.”

Modeste, of De Ros Place, Egham, Surrey told the trial he had arrived for a session at his gym and got into an argument with Charlotte.

“She was pushing her fingers up in my face,” claimed Modeste, who said he had his walking stick with him at the time.

He said Mr Simmons came rushing around from the other side of the Land Rover.

“I’m assuming he is going to hit me and I had to defend myself.

“I didn’t think I hit him in his mouth, but the arm or top of the head. In my perception I didn’t hit anyone to cause GBH.”

When Modeste was later arrested at the gym he told police: “No-one’s hit no-one.”

The jury found him not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm, but Modeste was made subject to a five-year restraining order, prohibiting him contacting the couple or entering their neighbourhood in the Vincent Road area of Staines-upon-Thames.