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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Soldiers on trial over bar fight | Soldiers on trial over bar fight |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nine British soldiers have gone on trial accused of starting a mass bar brawl in Aiya Napa, Cyprus. | Nine British soldiers have gone on trial accused of starting a mass bar brawl in Aiya Napa, Cyprus. |
| The defendants are all from the 2nd Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, based in Dhekelia, on the east of the island. | The defendants are all from the 2nd Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, based in Dhekelia, on the east of the island. |
| The fight broke out at the Bedrock Inn club on 2 February. The charges they face range from grievous and actual bodily harm to breach of the peace. | The fight broke out at the Bedrock Inn club on 2 February. The charges they face range from grievous and actual bodily harm to breach of the peace. |
| All nine soldiers have pleaded not guilty to the charges they face, at Famagusta District Court in Paralimni. | |
| The soldiers had been celebrating finishing tours of Iraq and Afghanistan when a fight broke out. | The soldiers had been celebrating finishing tours of Iraq and Afghanistan when a fight broke out. |
| The bar owner, a customer and two soldiers were left injured and needed hospital treatment. | The bar owner, a customer and two soldiers were left injured and needed hospital treatment. |
| One soldier, Darren Mason, 28, from Manchester, suffered a fractured skull. | One soldier, Darren Mason, 28, from Manchester, suffered a fractured skull. |
| The Bedrock Inn bar is "out of bounds" for military personnel because of previous violent incidents. | The Bedrock Inn bar is "out of bounds" for military personnel because of previous violent incidents. |
| In a separate case, the bar owner is suing the soldiers and UK authorities for £4m for physical injury to himself, loss of earnings and damage to the bar. | In a separate case, the bar owner is suing the soldiers and UK authorities for £4m for physical injury to himself, loss of earnings and damage to the bar. |
| I'm confident and sure that the defendants are involved in the offences and therefore I proceeded with their prosecution Thansis Loizou, Chief Constable | |
| Lance Corporal William Sewell, 21, from Manchester is charged with grievous bodily harm, malicious damage and breach of the peace. | Lance Corporal William Sewell, 21, from Manchester is charged with grievous bodily harm, malicious damage and breach of the peace. |
| Lance Corporals David Ramage, 21, from Manchester, and Daniel Brayne, 22, from Birmingham, face charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, along with malicious damage and breach of the peace. | Lance Corporals David Ramage, 21, from Manchester, and Daniel Brayne, 22, from Birmingham, face charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, along with malicious damage and breach of the peace. |
| Damien Heywood, 27, Andy Evans, 21, both Lance Corporals, and Dean Rushton, 21 - all from Manchester - Gary Farrell, 23, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Christopher Wenham, 19, from London, and Ashley Hughes, 19, from Birmingham, deny malicious damage and breach of the peace. | Damien Heywood, 27, Andy Evans, 21, both Lance Corporals, and Dean Rushton, 21 - all from Manchester - Gary Farrell, 23, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Christopher Wenham, 19, from London, and Ashley Hughes, 19, from Birmingham, deny malicious damage and breach of the peace. |
| 'Illegal' arrests | |
| Defending all nine suspects, Andreas Charalambous, said the arrests were illegal and not carried out according to Cypriot law. | |
| He questioned the way the defendants had been identified by complainants - the soldiers were led individually into a room rather than placed in a line-up. | |
| But Chief Constable Thansis Loizou, of Famagusta CID, who made the arrests together with the Royal Military Police, insisted proper procedures had been followed. | |
| He said: "I'm confident and sure that the defendants are involved in the offences and therefore I proceeded with their prosecution." | |
| The soldiers' regiment has returned to the UK. The nine soldiers on trial have not been allowed home. | |
| The accused were punished with 14 days detention and the lance corporals have been demoted to the rank of private for being in a banned part of the island. | |
| If found guilty, some of the soldiers could serve between three and five years in jail. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |