A STAG party chased an eastern European man in Colchester High Street after a fight broke out outside a town centre bar, a court heard.

Magistrates heard how David Doak, Adam Locke, Connor Locke, Michael O’Shea and Nicholas Overall pursued Kaspars Irists after a fight broke out between Mr Irists and one of the group outside Yates, in Head Street.

It is also alleged during the pursuit, 23-year-old Connor Locke picked up a brick which he planned to use as a weapon.

Gazette:

Scene - Yates, in Head Street, Colchester 

Lesla Small, prosecuting, told Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday the victim had to be encircled by military police officers in a bid to keep him safe.

She said even though the group was initially dispersed, the men returned and attempted to continue the fracas.

None of the defendants indicated a plea when they appeared in court yesterday.

Miss Small told magistrates: “This was a stag group which were out in Colchester celebrating the upcoming marriage of Connor Locke in a pub in Colchester.

“They had been consuming alcohol.”

She said the incident began outside Yates, where Adam Locke was smoking.

Miss Small added: “There were punches thrown and it would seem the rest of the group came out and got involved and confronted the victim who then runs off, along High Street.

“He is then chased by the group.”

The prosecutor added Mr Irists was spotted running in High Street by three military policemen.

She added: “They then see the males chasing the man and they group around him to give him some protection.

“They advised the group to leave the area and radioed to ask CCTV operators to watch the area.

“Evidently, the whole group came back and one of the males had a brick in his hand.” The weapon was never used.

Doak, 26, of Alfreds Gardens, in Barking, Adam Locke, 30, of Briar Mead, Basildon, Connor Locke, 23, of Thomas Benold Walk, Colchester, Overall, of Penzance Gardens, in Romford, and O’Shea, who lives in Colchester, are all charged with one count of affray at about 12.50am on August 20 last year.

The group will next appear at Ipswich Crown Court next month.