Nightclub doormen face jail for assault

Nicola Soncini, 30, of Gibbon Road, Newhaven,and Scott Jameson, 32, of Lewes, were found guilty by a jury of dragging Gareth Prothoro out of the club and assaulting him.

A third doorman, Kevin Harlow, 30, of St Andrew's Drive, Bishopstone, was cleared of assault. All three were cleared of affray earlier in the trial after the jury was directed by the judge, Mr Recorder Kenneth Parker QC.

Soncini and Jameson had denied assault occassioning actual bodily harm on Mr Prothoro, who suffered facial injuries in the alleged attack last year.

Soncini and Jameson admitted they knew Mr Prothoro had been banned from the club after biting manager Adie Whitticker, but claimed they had no problem with letting him back in on Christmas Eve.

Jameson, of Abergavenny Road, Lewes, told the court he threw the reveller out of the club when he swore at him after refusing to pay for drinks.

The 20-stone father of two denied having a grudge against Mr Prothero. He said Gareth Prothoro had been asked to leave after refusing to pay for a drink and had become rude and abusive.

'He fell over the lip of the fire exit and took me with him. I remember struggling with Gareth and looking up and seeing Nico (Soncini] there and that's about it.'

Denying punching and kicking Mr Prothoro, Jameson said: 'I was trying to keep him down as from previous experience I knew what he was like. I didn't want him to hurt me.'

Fellow doorman Kevin Harlow admitted swearing at Mr Prothoro but claimed it was to try to get the reveller to let go of his leg.

He added: 'He caused me a considerable amount of pain and I wanted to scare him into letting go so I said "I'll rip your head off".'

'I did not strike Gareth Prothoro in any way, shape or form. I just wanted him to leave the premises.'

Soncini told the court he had worked at Trek 2 for three-and-a-half years but had left after the incident.

He said: 'I saw Scott Jameson on the floor and Gareth Prothoro on the floor.

Kevin Harlow came and tried to get his shoulders. The purpose was just to get him out of the car park so he wouldn't interfere with people coming in.'

Cross-examined by prosecutor Jeffrey Lamb, Soncini denied he had punched and kicked Mr Prothoro but stopped because they were coming into range of the camera.

Recorder Kenneth Parker QC warned Soncini and Jameson they may face jail after being convicted by the jury. Setencing was adjourned until December 9.