Prosecutor accuses TV man of lies during wounding trial

Aug 1 2009 by Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail

BBC newsreader Ashley Blake was accused of lying to the jury to “save his own skin” during a trial where he is accused of hitting a teenager with a wooden pole.

Naomi Gilchrist, prosecuting, said Blake must have known he had hit 17-year-old Greg Jones during a disturbance at his former bar and restaurant The Place2B, in New Oscott.

The Midlands Today and Inside Out presenter denies wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawful wounding.

He has also pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice by throwing the wooden pole into a neighbouring garden centre in a bid to conceal it from police.

The 40-year-old, who used to run the venue with partner Jessica Hayes, had earlier admitted that he lied “several” times to police.

Miss Gilchrist told Birmingham Crown Court: “Everybody seems to know Greg Jones has been injured apart from Mr Blake.

“He must have felt it, he must have known he had hit Greg.

“Why does he want to deny knowing it? Well firstly he doesn’t want to admit he hit Greg Jones because he knows it was not justified. He knows, I submit, going and getting that pole in the first place was not necessary.”

Nigel Rumfitt QC, defending, said Blake had no reason to hit Greg Jones and was protecting his premises with the pole, which was normally used to secure a door.

He said: “This was a sudden and unexpected outbreak of violence. Ashley Blake was confronted with an emergency he could not possibly have foreseen.

“The lies, the evasiveness is folly. You can’t change what actually happened.”

Judge Peter Carr was expected to sum up the case this morning.

(Proceeding)