Opposition MP Maxwell Burgess has appeared in court accused of punching a man in a cricket club bathroom.

Burgess pleaded not guilty to assaulting William Sinclair Smith at Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club on July 20 last year, and now faces trial at Magistrates’ Court.

The United Bermuda Party stalwart was represented by lawyer Saul Froomkin QC during his brief appearance before Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo yesterday, with both declining to comment as they left the courthouse. However, Burgess claimed in this newspaper days after the alleged incident that he hit Mr. Smith in self defence.

He said: “What happened was he said to me that I was ‘f**ked up’. I asked him what he meant by that and the next thing I knew he was firing a blow at me and I indeed fired one back. I acted in self defence, without question.”

However, Mr. Smith alleged at the time that the MP launched an unprovoked attack, telling The Royal Gazette: “He grabbed me and said ‘I f**king well got you’ and then he struck me from behind. I don’t know why he did it.

“We didn’t have a verbal dispute or anything. I don’t know if he was drunk or what.”

Mr. Smith alleged he suffered swelling around his eye and had to go to hospital to get a cut “taped up.” He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

During the court hearing, Mr. Tokunbo granted $1,000 bail to Burgess, 53, of Pearman Hill Road, Hamilton Parish. He ordered him to appear for trial on July 20 — a year to the day after the alleged assault. No mention was made as to why it has taken eight months for the matter to reach this stage.

Burgess faces assault trial