A MAN has denied kicking a former bouncer so hard he was knocked unconscious during a music festival.

James Bowser, 28, of Crown Way, Southminster, denied a charge of wounding with intent and another of unlawful wounding at Brownstock Festival in Stow Maries on August 31, 2013.

Karl Volz, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday: “On Saturday at around 11.30pm the claimant, Daniel Lockwood, is there in a tent called the Good Shed with a group of friends.

“There is a group of large, bulky guys there. Some argument breaks out between the women with them and the friend of Daniel Lockwood, Nina Chapman.

“Daniel intervenes and tries to step in. Then this defendant and his group start to get involved.

“Punches are thrown. Daniel gets hit in the head with a punch that sends him staggering back. There is a stand-off and Daniel is beaten to the floor.”

The court heard Mr Lockwood was taken to Broomfield Hospital after the assault, having been knocked unconscious and sustaining lacerations to his mouth.

He is no longer able to work as a bouncer due to residual cerebral problems and memory loss.

Witness Toby Lister-Bridge, who admitted being on MDMA at the time, said: “Daniel is on the floor and they are on top of him stamping on his abdomen and head, wherever they could get. There was blood all over his face.

“In my mind they were going to kill him. The only thing I could think of doing was putting my body on top of his head. He was out, he was going to be dead.

“He had blood coming out of his head, eyes, ears and nose.

“After we covered him up a nurse came over and put him in the recovery position.”

The court heard how Mr Lister-Bridge phoned police on September 1 at 3.26pm but gave a description which did not match the defendant. He later identified him through photos.

The trial continues.