a 43-year-old man said the three relatives attended the man's house after they had seen his ex-girlfriend in a distressed state with her T-shirt torn from her neck.

Yesterday Ms Keren Lomas, who represents the woman's nephew 19-year-old Kujii Wade also told the Supreme Court that Michael King of Smith's Hill Road, St.

George's, was attacked by the woman's brother Kenneth Wade, 31, and Kujii Wade only after he threw the first punches towards Kenneth Wade.

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

King sustained 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 steel reinforcing rod and a piece of wood.

They attacked King after finding out about an altercation he had with 34-year-old Rochelle Cooper which resulted in King slapping her twice.

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

On Tuesday King said he could not recall striking Cooper on previous occasions which at one point caused her to seek treatment at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Ms Lomas also questioned King about his friend who came to pick him up on the morning of October 4.

"I suggest to you that your friend saw you hurling bricks at Cooper and then chasing her to prevent her from taking the car,'' Ms Lomas said.

But King denied that such an episode took place.

He also said that he did not have a past record for violent conduct.

Ms Lomas then told the court of King's previous conviction for violent conduct in which he wilfully and unlawfully damaged a car with a piece of wood resulting in over $3,000 worth in damages.

When asked by Crown Counsel Mr. Peter DeJulio about his injuries caused in the attack King said: "I have a dark mark across my right arm and I have a mark on the right side of my head. I have a bone deficiency which I will have for the rest of my life.'' The trial continues today before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Meerabux.

Gregory Zuill is being represented by Mr. Delroy Duncan, and Kenneth Wade is represented by Ms Elizabeth Christopher.