The trial of a Smith's man accused of assault with an offensive weapon began in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Keith Angelo Trott, 32, of Ramgoat Hill, Smith's, appeared in court charged with assaulting with a knife and intending to rob Kenneth Eric Brangman, of Devil's Hole, Smith's.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith told the jury Mr. Brangman was a golf caddy working on the Mid Ocean Golf Course on October 20 of last year. One other caddy and four golfers, including an NBA basketball coach, were also present.

Mr. Brangman took the stand and alleged that at that time, on the second hole of the course, the defendant Keith Angelo Trott drove up on a motor bike.

He told the court that the defendant came up to him, grabbed him by the back of his shirt, saying: "Give me your money or I'm gonna jook you.'' Mr. Brangman said he attempted to walk away but was grabbed again by Trott. At that time Trott also allegedly took out a knife and held it to Mr. Brangman's throat, repeating his earlier threat.

Mr. Brangman told the court that in trying to grab the knife away he cut his hand. He said that he tried to walk away but fell, with the two golf bags he was carrying, when Trott pulled at him.

Trott also allegedly used the knife to slit Mr. Brangman's shirt before ripping it off.

The court heard that Mr. Brangman then tried to get out a golf club which he would have used "to protect myself''.

The court heard at that point, however, the male golfers and the second caddy, Morris Leroy Wainwright, of Rockaway Road in Southampton, came to his assistance.

Mr. Wainwright apparently grabbed the knife as the two male golfers held Trott down.

Defence counsel for Trott, Larry Mussenden, made several suggestions to Mr.

Brangman, including that he owed Trott $50 for a business transaction. Mr.

Mussenden further suggested it was Brangman who first moved, pulling out a golf club and hitting Trott in the back before Trott pulled out his knife.

Mr. Brangman denied all these suggestions, saying he never took the club out of the bag and that he did not owe Trott money.

Morris Wainwright, the second caddy, testified he could not remember anything that happened on the day in question, nor did he remember giving a statement to Police. When asked if he recognised a copy of the statement he had given, he replied that he couldn't see it without his glasses.

Mr. Warner ordered the clerk to read the statement to him. The statement agreed with Mr. Brangman's story.

Mr. Wainwright however was adamant that he could not remember, and Mr. Warner declared him to be a hostile witness. The Crown cross-examined Mr. Wainwright based on what was in the statement, which he admitted that he had signed.

The next witness to take the stand was Detective Garic Swainson, reading from a transcript of the interview which had taken place between himself and Trott the day after the alleged assault.

In that interview Trott claimed that he had gone up to Mr. Brangman and tapped him on the shoulder. When Mr. Brangman kept walking, he grabbed him.

He said that Mr. Brangman then fell and it looked as though he was getting ready to get a golf club out of the bag. He denied pulling Mr. Brangman to the ground and demanding that he give him money.

In the interview Trott said that when he saw Mr. Brangman appear to get out a golf club, he pulled out his knife and opened it, "just as a reaction''.

At that point the male golfers and Mr. Wainwright came over, the two golfers held him down while Mr. Wainwright took the knife.

Trott also admitted in that interview read to the court by Detective Swainson that he was intoxicated at the time, having had three or four beers.

Detective Swainson remains on the stand today as the trial continues.