Friends tell court how party atmosphere descended into violence during Southsea Common attack

Rebecca Grant, 20, ended up being pummelled on the ground and knocked unconscious during the attack on June 17 at 8.30pm.

Minnie-Mo Hunt, 25, of High Street, Cosham, is on trial for attempting to cause grievous bodily harm but has admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Her niece Daisy Hunt, 22, of Berkshire Close, Landport, previously admitted a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

During the second day of the trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, a friend of Ms Grant’s told the hearing the two Hunts and a friend joined the victim’s group as drinks were consumed - with the atmosphere initially ‘friendly’.

But the mood turned sinister when the elder Hunt refused to hand back a nitrous oxide gas cracker to Ms Grant after she asked for it back.

Lucy Norrie, giving evidence, said Hunt senior made ‘threats’ to Ms Grant, who replied: ‘If you’re going to do it, do it.’

Ms Norrie said: ‘Minnie then punched (Ms Grant). Becca swung at her and then Minnie pulled her hair and punched her.’

She added: ‘Becca and Minnie go to the floor and Becca gets up and then Daisy drags her to the floor.’

The Hunts then walked away from the scene. ‘Someone was shouting something to Daisy and Daisy shouts back and then Minnie says “leave it let’s go”,’ Ms Norrie said.

During cross examination, defence barrister James Caldwell suggested to the witness that Ms Grant escalated matters.

‘Did she start getting angry?’ he asked. ‘No,’ Ms Norrie said.

‘Is she someone who gets irritated?’ the barrister replied. ‘No,’ the witness fired back.

Mr Caldwell suggested the fight started after Ms Grant was being restrained by boys in her group before ‘breaking free’ and running at the defendant.

But Ms Norrie said: ‘Minnie punched Becca first.’

Lucy’s sister Ellie Norrie, giving evidence, said an initial altercation took place between Daisy and Ms Grant. ‘Daisy said to Becca to stop (flashing her) eye lashes,’ she said.

‘Minnie then said: “Watch who you are talking to or I will knock you out.”’

Ms Norrie told the court ‘Minnie threw the first punch’ but admitted Ms Grant ‘retaliated by swinging’ for the defendant who ended up ‘kicking her in the face’.

The witness agreed with Mr Caldwell there was a ‘party atmosphere’ after the Hunts introduced themselves to the victim’s group but said the aunt and niece ‘turned aggressive’ after briefly leaving the group before returning.

Trinity Grant-Martin, who was part of the victim’s group of friends, told jurors Minnie ‘changed’ after the groups had been getting on well.

After the row over the gas canister, the witness said: ‘Minnie hit (Ms Grant) in the face...it was quite a hard punch.

‘Becca then punched Minnie in the chest and Minnie then grabs her by the hair and pulls her down and punches her in the head.

‘Minnie has her on the floor and has got hold of her hair and they both get back up then Daisy joins and comes from behind.

‘Minnie and Becca are then both on the floor and Daisy is upright - and starts kicking her (in the head). Minnie is kicking her in the face.’

During cross examination, Mr Caldwell, referred to body-worn footage from an attending police officer who speaks to Ms Grant-Martin.

In the clip Ms Grant-Martin said the Hunts ‘got lairy’ before the victim - who she says is being ‘held back’ - then ‘throws her jacket off and went for them’.

‘This is the truth of the matter isn’t it?’ Mr Caldwell said to the witness, who replied: ‘No, they were getting in her (Ms Grant’s) face.’

The brutal attack left the 20-year-old with a broken nose while a previous court hearing was told she suffered a bleed on the brain.

The incident was captured on camera and posted on social media where it received over a million views.

Ms Grant was taken by ambulance to Queen Alexandra Hospital following the incident.

Video footage played to the court showed the three women scrapping before Ms Grant gets booted and stamped in the head.

Another clip shows paramedics treating the victim on the ground.

(Proceeding)

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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