Friends of victim stamped in head during Southsea Common attack were 'trying to stick the boot in' to defendant during trial, court hears

During closing speeches from prosecution and defence during the Minnie-Mo Hunt trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, James Caldwell, for the defence, poured scorn on witness testimonies.

The barrister questioned the accounts of victim Rebecca Grant’s friends; sisters Ellie and Lucy Norrie, as well as Trinity Grant-Martin.

Mr Caldwell said there were ‘very serious doubts’ over the prosecution case as Hunt, 25, of High Street, Cosham, denies attempted grievous bodily harm on the victim on June 17 at around 8.30pm.

The barrister said it was telling that Ms Grant-Martin told a police officer that the victim ‘flung off her jacket and went for’ the defendant.

The clip was recorded on a police officer’s body worn camera - with Mr Caldwell telling jurors: ‘The prosecution are asking you to accept the credibility of the witnesses but when they are not guarded by witness statements, this (account) is an unguarded truth of what went on.’

The lawyer told jurors to treat the Norrie sisters’ accounts with ‘extreme caution’ after they answered ‘can’t remember’ over whether Ms Grant ‘ran’ at Hunt.

‘You might think it odd they have this blanket response,’ he said.

Mr Caldwell said ‘there is a very subtle tweaking of the order of events’ before adding: ‘Does it ring true that the four witnesses have not discussed the case prior to giving evidence when they are sisters and friends and the video was posted on (Ms Grant’s) mum’s Facebook account? How plausible is that?’

He added: ‘They are trying to stick the boot into the defendant.’

Mr Caldwell said there was ‘no dispute it was a vicious assault’ but that ‘evidence meets proper justice of the case’ with Hunt pleading guilty to the less serious charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH).

But, the lawyer said, she did ‘not intend to cause serious harm’ - which is what jurors will consider in their deliberations when deciding if Hunt is guilty of the charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

Mr Caldwell told jurors the younger Hunt was the main protagonist. ‘Daisy Hunt stands over (the victim) stamping on her head. No sensible lawyer would try to suggest this was anything other than attempting to cause grievous bodily harm,’ he said.

‘But Minnie has pleaded guilty to ABH and says she was defending herself but accepts her last kicks went too far.’

Meanwhile Rob Harding, for the prosecution, said the elder Hunt was guilty of trying to inflict a severe injury.

‘Ms Hunt is kicking and stamping out and you can clearly see she lifts her leg as high as she can and then stamps at the victim’s face,’ he told jurors.

‘If that’s not serious harm then what is?’

He added: ‘It’s not the prosecution case that the defendant went to the common to do serious harm.

‘All that matters is at that moment (when she kicks out) she intended to do serious harm.’

The barrister said the defendant admitted she got ‘angry’ but conceded that if she was attacked first by Ms Grant then it made it ‘less likely she intended to cause serious harm’.

The judge is due to sum up on Thursday morning before jurors retire to consider their verdict.

(Proceeding)

SEE ALSO: Woman says she was scared when rival ran at her during Southsea Common attack

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