Man ‘lied’ about hurling bottle at boxing stab victim Reagan Asbury
A man charged with violent disorder at a town hall boxing match lied when he sent an incriminating text message boasting he had ‘dashed a bottle’ in a rival supporter’s face, a court heard.
Lavelle Patrice admitted flipping over a table ‘by accident’ inside the hall and hurling a chair at supporters of Walsall fighter Luke Paddock when trouble flared but said his head was ‘messed up’ when he sent the text.
The 22-year-old was referring to the throwing of a bottle at rival fan Reagan Asbury, insisting he smashed it on the ground in front of him rather than in his face as he had said in the text.
Mr Asbury, from Pelsall, later died after being stabbed in the neck by 21-year-old Tyrone Andrew when violence that started inside the hall on October 14 last year led to running battles outside in Leicester Street.
Patrice claimed he was acting in self-defence when he threw the chair in the hall, adding he flipped over the VIP table where he was sitting with other Mills supporters ‘in excitement’ as his boxer friend looked to be getting the better of Luke Paddock.
Outside he smashed the bottle as a diversion after ‘panicking’ when it appeared his friend was going to be attacked, he told Birmingham Crown Court.
Later Patrice sent a text to a friend claiming: “I seen Chucky [Tyrone Andrew’s nickname] getting stamped on. I dashed a bottle at one guy’s face.”
But CCTV shows that neither of those statements was true.
Andrew, of St Helen’s Street, Derby, denies murder, also wounding two others and attempting to stab a fourth man.
Patrice, of Heavenwood Grove, Derby, denies violent disorder.
The case continues.
