A SOLDIER enjoying a night out on the town launched a punch at a fellow reveller as a “pre-emptive strike” before a fight broke out, a court heard.

Soldiers Grant Barrow, Tom Wainwright and Mathew Haigh had left the former Missoula nightclub in Colchester and were walking alongside another group.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard a disagreement broke out which left one man floored by a punch and a woman with a bloody nose.

The three soldiers then entered Fashion Cafe, in Queen Street, before two officers with the Royal Military Police arrived at the venue and attempted to detain Wainwright.

CCTV footage shown to the jury shows Wainwright and one of the officers falling down a short flight of stairs in the ensuing altercation.

All three were later arrested, with Wainwright admitting one count of affray and two counts of assault by beating.

Haigh also admitted one count of affray.

Barrow, 26, denies a count of affray and said he threw a punch in self defence.

The jury heard evidence from the other group involved in the altercation, which took place in an alleyway off Colchester High Street on February 6 last year.

Kyle Price said he was enjoying a night in town with a group of friends and co-workers following a shift at Yates bar.

The group included Iliya Todorov, who was punched to the floor.

Mr Price said: “They started kicking windows, two out of the three guys.

“It went from there, Ilya went up to them and was saying if that’s what they are doing, we don’t want to be associated with that.

“It escalated from there and he was punched.

“He was then on the floor with another male joining in.

“They pinned him down and were punching him.”

Mr Price said a female member of their group had blood “gushing down her face” after she was struck while trying to intervene.

But Barrow, from Colchester, said Mr Todorov had become aggressive at the sight of Haigh chatting to his girlfriend.

He told the court: “He took a couple of steps towards me and it was my honest belief that he was going to attack me, because he had just pushed my friend in an aggressive manner.

“I threw a punch at Todorov, he stumbled backwards.

“It was a pre-emptive strike due to thinking he was going to attack me.”

The trial continues...