Marines deny violence

EIGHT Royal Marines charged with varying offences of attacking Gibraltar police and unlawful violence during an Ocean Village brawl in April have opted for a jury trial in September.

The soldiers allegedly injured police officers who were trying to arrest them at 4am before using captor spray and batons to subdue them.

The eight men between 20 and 42-years-old have now pleaded not guilty to the crimes. It means they will stand trial before a civilian jury in the former fortress city.

Charged

Malaga Hospital confirmed the victim had a fractured finger as well as cuts in the left kidney, the back and left side.

“They almost killed him,” a neighbour revealed.

After the attack, he went to a police station to file a complaint against the squatters for housebreaking and assault. However, the squatters also filed a complaint against him accusing him of the same thing. A police spokesman told the Olive Press: “Both sides filed allegations and the trio are now facing an investigation. We cannot reveal anything else.”

Prosecutors also charged Anthony Houghton and Samuel Bates with Assault occasioning actual bodily harm for allegedly attacking a member of the public during the brawl. Magistrates released Houghton, Bates as well as the other defendants Graham Tait, Cameron Bull, Kyle Connell, Connor Holborn, Sandy Dove and Rodui Aitchison on bail until September.

A UK national newspaper even released a video of the incident which will undoubtedly be part of the evidence. They will also have to argue against the testimonies of the police officers and witnesses at the forthcoming trial.