Security guard headbutted teen in Superdrug - court
The two security guards are on trial at Portsmouth Crown Court
- Published
A security guard headbutted a 15-year-old boy before falsely detaining him and a friend in a Superdrug shop, a court has heard.
Jake De-Geus, 30, from Chichester, West Sussex and Edwin Hirst, 40, from Fareham, Hampshire, are both accused of the false imprisonment of the two teenagers in the Chichester store.
The guards followed the boys after they started "messing around" in the store, provoking the men by putting a bottle in someone's pocket, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.
They both denied the charges.
The defendants, who were contracted to work for Chichester BID (Business Improvement District), also deny assault by beating of the teenager, while Hirst denies assault of a second boy.
Paul Fairley, prosecuting, told the court the two boys, with another youth, were in the store to buy a bottle of shampoo when the security guards started following them.
He said the boys started "messing around" to "get a rise" out of the guards, including putting a bottle in someone's pocket.
The prosecutor said De-Geus is accused of then headbutting the teenager, with the two defendants then using "unjustified" force to detain him and his friend.
'Squared up'
Hirst is accused of punching the second complainant in the groin.
Mr Fairley said the first complainant told police the guards began following them.
He added: "It's accepted by the two defendants they decided to follow them, staying very close, making sure they weren't doing anything or stealing anything."
He added that as the security guards detained the two teenagers "there was an almighty struggle, stock was knocked from the shelves as (the complainant) was swung by Mr De-Geus into the stand".
"Other members of staff came to see what the commotion was," he said.
He said the friend "tried to pull the other security guard off and got a punch for his trouble by Mr Hirst".
The prosecutor said De-Geus claimed the first complainant "squared up" to him and headbutted him.
He added that the two security guards say their legal right to detain the teenagers is the same as a citizen's right to arrest someone for acting illegally.
The trial continues.
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