A 28-year-old Bournemouth man “lashed out” to defend himself after his girlfriend behaved like “a woman possessed” during a night out, jurors heard yesterday.

Following his arrest, in the early hours of November 16 last year, Louis King told police officers: “I just lashed out in self-defence; I felt a bit fearful.

“You should have arrested the others.”

Earlier jurors at Bournemouth Crown Court watched a video showing how violence had flared in Old Christchurch Road after King and his girlfriend were filmed having an argument as they walked towards the taxi rank opposite Horseshoe Common.

King, from Stewart Road, denies causing grievous bodily harm, with intent, to student George Griffiths and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Griffiths who suffered a broken jaw and fractured cheekbone during the fracas.

In a taped interview at Bournemouth police station, King said his girlfriend had “become a bit physical” after they had left the club at around 3.30am.

He added: “She was shouting abuse, she grabbed me and ripped my clothes. I took my top off and put it around her head; I was trying to get her away from me when she went down. That is when all the guys came around me, getting right in my face.

“They just came over and tried to be heroes; I felt I was going to get attacked and that the whole world was against me after taking a beating from my partner. She was like a woman possessed.”

King added: “I think I hit him; I can’t remember how many times. I felt like they were all going to hit me so I acted in self-defence. You can see people’s body language if they want to fight you. I thought they would give me a hiding and I think I used reasonable force.”

The case continues.