Government backbench MP Arthur Pitcher was yesterday accused of flying into a rage at one of his construction workers before throwing him against a wall and dragging him outside, Magistrates Court heard.

The 51-year-old is accused of assaulting skilled labourer Ryan Fox at an affordable housing development site at Southside, St. David's, last August.

He denies the charge.

Mr. Fox told the court that he was working on the project and had been instructed by Mr. Pitcher to carry out a wiring task while he went to fetch some materials off site.

But he said soon after his boss left, a mason on the project asked him to lend a hand with what he was doing, instead.

Mr. Fox said when Mr. Pitcher returned at lunchtime and found his task not complete, he told him he was fired.

"He started carrying on with an attitude and he told me I was dismissed off the job," said Mr. Fox, from St. David's.

"He told me to leave the premises. I called him a f****** bald-headed b*****d."

Mr. Fox said he went back upstairs to get his lunch bag and to ask for a cigarette off a colleague, but while there he alleged that Mr. Pitcher approached him and assaulted him. "Mr. Pitcher came to where I was. He started in a rage and said 'I told you to leave the premises'," said Mr. Fox.

"He went into a rage, gripped me and flung me against the wall and then he dragged me outside."

Mr. Fox said his adrenaline was pumped up and he was scared, so he left the premises and walked the short distance to Texas Road, where he lived at the time.

He said soon afterwards, he began to feel pain in his neck and back, and so went to hospital. He stayed there for six days for a neck strain, but the court heard how Mr. Fox had broken his neck in three places in an accident five years ago and still had pins in place for the injury.

He told the court that when he had been thrown against the wall, he felt something spring out of place in his neck, and then the pain set in.

Asked what he did after Mr. Pitcher allegedly grabbed him, he said: "I could not do anything. Look how big Mr. Pitcher is.

"I was scared for my life," he added.

Defending Mr. Pitcher, Senator and Progressive Labour Party Junior Minister Michael Scott suggested his client had not flung Mr. Fox against a wall or dragged him out of the construction site. He said Mr. Pitcher had merely pushed him away because he thought Mr. Fox was going to attack him, Mr. Scott suggested Mr. Pitcher had told Mr. Fox he was sacked because he had returned to the site to find the labourer asleep on the job. And he suggested that his client had given Mr. Fox many chances in the weeks prior to the incident, and had gone out of his way to keep him employed because he had a child.

"I put it to you that Mr. Pitcher told you were fired and you were shouting abusive words to him and you went up into his face," said Mr. Scott.

"Mr. Pitcher pushed you away from himself. I'm putting to you that my client's version is that after he pushed you away because you were up in his face, you came back at him and that's when he thought you were going to attack him."

And Mr. Scott said his client had alleged that Mr. Fox had threatened to kick his ass.

But Mr. Fox denied that version, and said he was not asleep, he was just resting during his lunch hour.

And he said he did not make any threats or go up into his face. Construction worker Anthony Foggo told the court that he had heard Mr. Pitcher talking at Mr. Fox, and then witnessed the alleged attack.

"They exchanged words," said Mr. Foggo.

"The last thing I heard was Mr. Pitcher telling him he was fired and to get off the job.

"Mr. Pitcher went outside the building and down the steps. At that time, Mr. Fox came inside and asked me for a cigarette.

"He was just sitting there when all of a sudden Mr. Picher came in the room and said to Mr. Fox "didn't I f****** tell you to get off my premises".

"Then he put his hands on him and threw him up against the wall."

He said his colleague was thrown about ten feet by Mr. Pitcher, and when Mr. Fox landed, he seemed dazed. And he told how Mr. Pitcher had come in the room cursing at Mr. Fox, "with his arms flying".

Mr. Foggo said his colleague slumped down on the ground, and Mr. Pitcher walked towards him "like he was going to punch him". And he later told the court: "Mr. Pitcher picked him up, he had his fists on his face like he was going to hit him and I hoped that that was not what he was going to do. He dragged him outside." He said: "I was quite surprised because I had never seen Arthur like that. We grew up together."

Mr. Foggo told the court that throughout the incident, Mr. Fox had not responded.

But Mr. Scott took exception with the claim that Mr. Fox had been thrown ten feet, and suggested his injuries would have been more severe.

And he questioned why Mr. Foggo had heard so much of Mr. Pitcher's words, but nothing from Mr. Fox.

"Could you have been deliberately exaggerating this to Police, which is what I suggest you did. Were you trying to help the Police? Were you trying to make the case look as bad as possible for your friend Mr. Fox, against Mr. Pitcher?"

But Mr. Foggo replied: "No. Mr. Pitcher is more of a friend to me than Mr. Fox is."

The case continues, but was adjourned until October 10. Prosecutor is Oonagh Vaucrosson and the Magistrate is William Francis.