A defendant accused of lashing out at a woman with a bottle has told a court she was acting in self-defence.

Dyshantee Crockwell told a jury at the Supreme Court that she “never directly hit” Collisha Burch with a bottle when a fight broke out between two groups of women outside the Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club,

The 23-year-old of St George’s said: “Everybody went to defend their own friends.

“We were all in a huddle with everyone pulling back everyone’s friends.

“After that me and Collisha started to fight.

“I put my hands up to defend myself. I was trying to protect myself from her coming at me.”

Ms Crockwell is accused of attacking Ms Burch on the evening of November 9, 2013. While her cousin, Chantel Smith, 26, is accused of chopping down upon Ms Burch, 27, with a machete as well as assaulting a second woman, Dante Allen.

Yesterday Ms Smith chose not to take the stand to give evidence.

Her lawyer Marc Daniels told the court: “We do not elect to take the witness stand.”

Meanwhile Ms Crockwell told the jury that she was knocked to the ground during the brawl.

Asked by her lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, if she had hit Ms Burch with the bottle Ms Crockwell said: “I never directly hit Miss Burch with a bottle.

“I had the bottle in my hand and I put my hands up to defend myself.

“The bottle fell out of my hand when I fell. I was unconscious.

“I do not remember anything after that.

“I woke up in a friend’s car; my mouth and head was bleeding so she took me to hospital.”

Ms Crockwell told jurors she had her teeth knocked out during the fight.

Ms Smith denies wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Ms Burch, having a bladed article in a public place and the unlawful wounding of Ms Allen.

Ms Crockwell denies the unlawful wounding of Ms Burch.

The case continues.