Alleged attacker claims he is "a nice person" trying to retrieve stolen bag

Wednesday 04 October 2023

A man has told a court that the alleged victim of an attack in St Helier town centre had earlier stolen a bag of food from him.

He said the two men accused of the attack had been seeking to retrieve the bag for him.

And one of the two men accused of the attack confirmed he had been trying to help get the bag back, insisting: "I'm a nice person."

Jemeniano Padasas, was giving evidence in the Royal Court on the third day of the trial of Mark Christopher James Goodchild (36) and 29-year-old Addison Thomas Mazurke.

The pair are accused of attacking a man and stealing his shoes.

They deny charges of grave and criminal assault and theft, though at an earlier hearing Mr Mazurke pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of common assault.

Mr Padasas said that he and a friend had been in the town centre the same evening when the bag of food was snatched by the man who was later attacked.

He said: “Someone snatched the bag out of the blue. He just walked away. He didn’t say anything.”

Mr Padasas, who is Filipino, added: “I felt like I was being racially attacked. We are gay, and I also felt like it may have been a homophobic attack.

“He continued walking and Mr Mazurke and Mr Goodchild approached him.”

Mr Padasas said he saw Mr Mazurke and Mr Goodchild again some time later.

He recalled: “Mr Mazurke said he was sorry he didn’t get my bag back. I said it was fine and thanked him.”

Mr Mazurke also said he had initially confronted the alleged victim because he had stolen the bag.

Under questioning from Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit, he said: “I saw him taking the bag off the two young Asian lads and I tried to get it back, because I’m a nice person.

"It was an act of kindness.”

Crown Advocate Maletroit asked him why he had claimed not to remember anything of the evening when first questioned by police but now seemed able to recall details.

He said: “My memory has come back.”

The Crown Advocate said: “You together with Mr Goodchild gave the victim a severe beating.

"You delivered numerous blows, some when he was on the ground, and you filmed it for your amusement.”

Mr Mazurke replied: “No.”

The trial is expected to conclude today.