A 49-year-old man was remanded when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle on a charge of assaulting a blind man.
Don Mars of 398 West Ruimveldt allegedly assaulted visually impaired Dexter Harry in the Vendors Arcade on May 10. Mars pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Harry told the court that Mars pushed him down and kicked him about the body after an altercation they had over a young woman who works for Mars. Harry, who said he lost sight in both eyes after he was hit by a stray bullet some time back, told the court that he and the young woman would make jokes all the time and he told her something one day that she apparently did not appreciate.
When he visited the arcade the following day, he said, Mars, whom he has known for years and could recognise by his voice, accosted him. He said Mars verbally assaulted him, telling him to have nothing to say to the young lady and then proceeded to push him down when he attempted to answer.
Mars admitted pushing Harry down but said he did not kick him and maintained that Harry could not have received any injuries from the push.
The magistrate asked Mars if he would like to change his plea to guilty as he did push the man down, but he refused.
The matter was transferred to Court Two for trial on May 29.
