assaulted by three men, said he had never seen him slap his ex-girlfriend on the morning of the altercation or in the past.

Creswell Smith also told the Supreme Court yesterday that when he went to King's house on the morning of October 4, 1993, he had not noticed anything wrong with 34-year-old Rochelle Cooper when he saw her leaving the house.

Gregory David Zuill, 26, Kenneth Larry Wade, 31, and Kujii Jomar Wade, 19, of Anchorage Road, St. George's, have denied causing grievous bodily harm to King on October 4 1993.

King received a gash to the head which required 18 stitches to close, a fractured rib, and a badly bruised arm after Kenneth Wade and Kujii Wade beat him about the body with a steal reinforcing rod and a piece of wood.

This occurred following an altercation King had with 34-year-old Rochelle Wade in which he slapped her twice.

As a result of that fight, Cooper sustained bruising about the right eye and left ear, abdominal tenderness, and bruising to the back and lower neck.

Smith added: "That morning I saw Rochelle walking across the green and I did not notice anything about her attitude, condition or appearance.'' He added: "When I went in the house Michael was in his pyjama bottoms. Three guys came over and I was sitting on the couch.

"Kujii was carrying a pipe and Kenneth was carrying a piece of wood. They said they wanted to talk with Michael so they all went into the bedroom.'' Smith also said that he stayed in the living room and then "Michael came back out and his head was bleeding''.

He added: "The guys came out behind him and the guy with the piece of wood was licking him. The guy with the pipe looked like he wanted to hit him again but he didn't.

"I told them to leave the guy alone but they told me to stay out of it because it didn't concern me so I stayed out. They left and I took Michael to the hospital.'' Smith also said that he never saw King hit any of the guys.

When cross examined by Ms. Keren Lomas, who represents Kujii Wade, Smith said he did not see King do anything to Cooper.

But Ms. Lomas said: "I suggest to you that you expressed concern for Rochelle because you saw King hurling bricks at her and you told him to stop.'' However, Smith said that event never took place.

Ms Lomas added: "Your memory is now confined to what took place inside the house.'' In a Police statement Cooper's brother Zuill, who is represented by Mr. Delroy Duncan, stated that his sister Rochelle came down to his job on Texas Road in St. David's to borrow his car.

"She went to her house and later came back crying. She showed me bruises on her arm, side of her neck, face and ear,'' Zuill told the Police.

He added: "My brother Kenneth and our nephew Kujii went to King's house to ask him what the deal was with my sister. He became abusive and hostile and we defended ourselves and left.'' Zuill also told Police that he slapped King with his hand and did not recall if anyone used an instrument to strike King.

In a Police statement Kenneth Wade, who is represented by Ms Elizabeth Christopher, stated that when Cooper came back to Zuill's job and showed them what King had done to her "I asked her why he beat her and she said `for no reason at all'''.

Wade added: "My brother Gregory, my nephew Kujii and I went to King's house and he told Kujii and me that he wanted us to leave, but I told him that we were not going anywhere and that this had to stop.

"King pushed me on my chest and that is when we started to fight. I wanted to hear why he beat my sister.'' Wade also told Police that he did not use a weapon to strike King and that the injury to his rib was caused when he punched King a couple of times with his fist.

He added: "I don't know how he got a split head.'' When Kujii Wade was questioned by Police he made no comment.

The court also heard from Director of Emergency services Dr. Edward Schultz who said that when examining King there was no evidence of bleeding to the brain but he did have a fractured skull.

He also said that his injuries could have seriously interfered with his health.

When questioned by Mr. Duncan as to what King said was the cause of his injuries Dr. Schultz replied: "He told me that he had fallen off a construction stage and struck a reinforcing rod.'' The trial continues today before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Meerabux.