A MAN accused of punching a woman in the face insists the pair were “tickling and play fighting” before he accidentally caught her on the lip.

Colin Southby, 34, is charged with throwing a punch at a woman in lower Castle Park, in Colchester, in January.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard he had been at a gathering in the park with around 13 other people.

Katharine Houghton, prosecuting, told the court: “The defendant stood in front of the complainant and punched her to the face, causing bruising to her lip and face.”

The court heard the complainant left to go home and an ambulance was later called to a report of a woman passed out in a communal hallway.

Magistrates were told police took statements from the complainant and photographs of the injuries to her face.

Ms Houghton said: “In interview he stated they had been play fighting and he caught her on the lip, immediately stopped and apologised for his actions.”

Southby, of Lethe Grove, Colchester, denied one count of assault.

Paul Baker, representing Southby, said: “What Mr Southby says in interview is there was actually no incident in Castle Park at all, at her address they were tickling and play fighting and during that he accidentally made contact with her face.

“He says there was certainly no punch in Castle Park.”

Southby was released on conditional bail until a trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on September 13.

He was warned not to contact, directly or indirectly, the complainant in the case and not to attend her address.

Dr James Bettley, chairman of the bench, warned Southby if he breached the conditions of his bail he would be committing an offence and could face further punishment.

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