'Good Samaritan punched to floor by Forest striker'

FOREST striker Darius Henderson punched a man and fractured his cheekbone after a night out turned sour, a court has heard.

Henderson and his girlfriend, Lucy Caplan, were confronted during a New Year's Eve celebration by a woman who repeatedly claimed she had recently had sex with him.

When a Good Samaritan tried to calm the situation Henderson threw two punches and knocked him to the floor, causing a fracture to his cheekbone and a cut to his eye socket, St Alban's Crown Court heard.

The incident happened at Darcy's Restaurant in St Alban's, Hertfordshire, after the couple were confronted by a woman called Hazel Kent.

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In front of Ms Caplan, Ms Kent is alleged to have described Henderson's home and to have correctly identified the brand of his boxer shorts.

Prosecutor Alan Richards said there was no reason to believe that the claims by Ms Kent were anything other than pure fiction.

He said Henderson and his girlfriend ate together in the restaurant and then went through to the bar for drinks.

The victim, John Bell, was also in the restaurant with his partner John Lavelle and two friends, who also went through to the bar.

Mr Richards said the two groups had not had anything to do with each other until Ms Kent began to make her allegations.

He said: "For reasons best known to herself, she behaved somewhat unpleasantly towards Mr Henderson and Miss Caplan.

"Understandably, perhaps, this upset Miss Caplan and caused some tension between her and Mr Henderson.

"Equally understandably, Mr Henderson was keen that Ms Kent should leave him and Miss Caplan alone."

The jury was told a member of the bar staff, Jack Oakley, tried to calm Ms Kent and get her away from the footballer.

CCTV evidence is said to show that at around 1.30am Mr Bell talked to Henderson at the bar.

Mr Oakley believed Mr Bell was acting as a Good Samaritan and tried to calm things down.

Mr Richards said: "What is absolutely clear is that Mr Bell posed no threat to Mr Henderson whatsoever.

"Even if his intervention was unwelcome it could not even begin to justify what Mr Henderson then did.

"He punched Mr Bell in the head twice."

Police and an ambulance were called. Henderson left and was arrested near the restaurant a short while later.

Henderson, 31, of Green Lane, Markyate, Hertfordshire, denies causing grievous bodily harm to John Bell, now 42, on January 1, 2012. He said he was acting in self defence.

Proceeding.