Former Bristol City prospect George Dowling has described the moment he punched a student in the face after a night out in Bristol.
Dowling and his friend Ellis Harper are both on trial after pleading not guilty to inflicting GBH with intent after an incident near the Gravity nightclub in Bristol on February 3, 2019.
Zheenyar Karime was left needing several plates and screws fitted after being punched in the face and suffering serious head injuries when on a night out with friends.
Dowling has admitted punching the victim, while Ellis Harper admits 'rugby tackling' Mr Karime to the ground, but both deny causing GBH with intent, with the prosecution alleging that Dowling kicked Mr Karime in the face.
Dowling gave evidence today (March 13) in his trial at Bristol Crown Court, and admitted that he became upset during the night when he saw a girl, with whom he had recently broken up, with another man in the night club.
He had been out for a meal at Aluna in the city centre with a group of friends, two more of whom were professional footballers.
A smaller group then got a taxi to Gravity after the meal.
At the time, Dowling had recently broken off a relationship with a girl he had been seeing and saw her in the club with another man he knew.
Dolwing said: "I was a little bit upset at seeing her with another man. I pulled her for a conversation which lasted around 5 or 10 minutes."
Dowling said he told her he was unhappy but there were no other issues that he faced that night until closing time.
Dowling had been drinking in the club, around five or six vodka and cranberry juices by his own admission, but admits that due to the fact that he was a professional footballer the drinking was 'out of character'.
When outside, Dowling was approached by a man who allegedly asked him for a lighter, and the defendant said he asked the man to repeat himself but admitted he may not have sounded 'polite' in his reply.
When asked by his defence barrister Mr Giles Nelson, Dowling confirmed that he had exchanged a 'back and forth' with the man and that other friends were getting involved after the situation allegedly became heated. Dowling said: "He had a group of people behind him and the victim (Mr Karime) was coming from behind shouting with his hood up."
Mr Karime was a friend of the man who had allegedly asked Dowling for the lighter.
Mr Nelson confirmed that it was around this time that Dowling decided to remove his shirt before moving back towards the victim and his friends.
When asked how he feels now about approaching the victim again, Dowling said: "It was the worst decision I ever made in my life.
"There was more shouting. I was being challenged by the victim. He said words to the effect of 'look at the f***ing size of me'. He threatened to knock me out.
"That was when Ellis Harper came over to the scene. Ellis tried to diffuse the situation. That was when I decided to punch the victim square in the face. Shortly after, Ellis Harper takes him to the ground with a tackle.
"I was very wound up. I had an adrenaline rush. The victim's mates were threatening me.
"[I am now] completely embarrassed with myself. I wasn't behaving in the correct manner."
However, when asked by Mr Nelson if he had kicked Mr Karime, Dowling replied: "That didn't happen. I definitely didn't kick him."
Mr Kannan Siva, defending Harper, confirmed with Dowling that his client had in fact lifted Dowling up and carried him away from the scene on three occasions after the punch.
When asked by Mr Siva, Dowling confirmed that Harper has been trying to calm things down and that he was 'anxious' Dowling didn't get into trouble.
Dowling also confirmed that he saw no other punches being thrown after his.
The prosecution claims that Dowling kicked Mr Karime in the face during the assault on Queens Road.
When questioned by Miss Viriginia Cornwall, prosecuting, about how he feels towards Mr Karime, he said: "I'm gutted. He definitely didn't deserve what happened that night.
"I would definitely like to apologise to him. At the time I thought I was defending myself but looking back at the night I know that I was completely wrong."
Giving evidence on Monday, Miss Cornwall said: "The assault required preparation. George Dowling took off his upper clothing. Mr Dowling's kick wasn't just a kick in moving forward his leg.
"It was a kick on a man who had been felled, running up three or four strides and that action intending to cause the maximum amount of damage.
"Mr Dowling and Mr Harper were each playing their part."
Read the full report from the first day of the trial here.
Dowling joined Bristol City's academy at the age of eight and signed his first professional contract in 2015.
After making his debut in 2016, he had loan spells at Weston-super-Mare, Torquay United and Eastleigh, before being released and signing permanently for Weston in 2019.
He now plays for Swindon Supermarine after leaving Weston in December 2019.
The trial continues.
