FOUR Forest of Dean men have gone on trial accused of arming themselves and seeking to take violent revenge after a friend had been slashed with a knife at a pub.

Liam Dunton-Baker, 26, of Hazel Road, Drybrook; Jake Edwards, 26, of Cedardean, Cinderford; Billy Head, 28, of St White’s Road, Ruspidge and Sam Willetts, 25, of Pinewood Close, Cinderford, have all pleaded not guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to aggravated burglary of a flat in High Street, Cinderford, with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Paul Harris.

It is alleged they went to the address armed with metal poles and a glass bottle on August 4, 2019.

Edwards has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Mr Harris with a metal weapon on the same date at a different flat in the High Street.

Prosecutor Fiona Elder told the jury of six men and six women last Friday (May 13) that just before midnight on Tuesday, August 3 police were called to the Fern Ticket pub on Cinderford High Street after Callum Green was slashed on his arm with a knife or bottle in the street outside.

“Following that incident, the four defendants, who had been in the area at the same time, decided to seek revenge and sought Paul Harris – the man they believed to have committed that assault – and they planned to attack him,” alleged the prosecutor.

“A doorman at the Fern Ticket explained to the police that a number of people from the pub had set of in different directions looking for Mr Harris.

“The four men are alleged to have picked up items to use as weapons and went to the man’s known address in the town’s High Street.”

CCTV footage revealed that Edwards was followed by the other three men leaving the pub and running down the High Street, Ms Elder alleged.

She added: “It was believed by the men that Paul Harris had gone to his mother’s home address in the High Street.

“The communal entrance to the block of flats was locked when Anastasia Harris, who was upstairs in her own flat, heard Paul Harris banging on the door demanding to be let in.

“Paul Harris’ mother was not in and left the property.

“As Paul Harris left, Anastasia Harris was aware of a car arriving in the roadway sounding its horn.

She saw at least one man get out of the vehicle and she recognised all the men as being the defendants in the dock here.

“She describes seeing Dunton-Baker and Edwards openly carrying a large metal spanner or tyre iron. Head was carrying a glass bottle.

“All of them seemed to believe he was in his mother’s flat.

“Anastasia Harris then heard her own door being kicked and forced open and all four men barged in.

“The men screamed at her, demanding to know where Paul Harris was.

“Edwards then threatened Anastasia Harris with the metal weapon, while she pleaded with Dunton-Baker, telling him that the man they were looking for was not in her flat.

“The occupant shouted at the men to get out and she physically pushed them out.

“As she did so Edwards and Dunton-Baker stated that they would kill Paul Harris when they found him.

“Paul Harris returned to the flat a short time later. Edwards is also alleged to have returned to the property in his car and got out carrying a tyre iron.

“Anastasia Harris took a photograph of Edwards in the communal entrance carrying the weapon and saw him strike the door of another flat and gain entry to where Paul Harris had entered just moments before.

“She heard him say to the occupant ‘Where is he? I’m going to kill him. He stabbed my mate.’

“The Crown’s case is that these men had taken it upon themselves to carry out vigilante justice and armed with weapons, force themselves into various flats.”

Lawyers representing all four defendants told the jury that their clients accept being in the property following the injury to Mr Green, but deny the offence of aggravated burglary.

Pina Silvio, for Head, said they only intended to make a citizens’ arrest. Nicholas Sefton, for Edwards, said that he had no intention of causing any injuries to either occupants of the flats and he had only acted in self defence.

Rhianna Fricker, for Dunton-Baker, said he did arrive with Edwards but didn’t have a weapon with him. She said his main objective was to make sure Paul Harris did not escape.

Matthew Harbinson, for Willetts, emphasised that he arrived at the flats on foot independently of the others. His intention was not to cause serious injury and he was not carrying a weapon.

Mr Harbison claimed that Anastasia Harris’ original statement was full of discrepancies which had been corrected in her second statement. He said the prosecution were relying chiefly on the original statement, complete with all its inaccuracies.

Mr Green was treated at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for serious laceration injuries.

The trial continues and is expected to conclude on Friday.