A MAN who jumped bail and spent 15 years building a new life in Spain has been cleared of a pub glassing in Bradford more than 16 years ago.

Anthony Denzil Collins, 51, failed to turn up for his trial at Bradford Crown Court in October 2000 and was arrested at Gatwick Airport last year.

Yesterday, he was found not guilty by a jury of wounding David Bristow with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm in the Victoria Hotel, Cottingley Road, Sandy Lane, on October 8, 1999.

Collins, who lived in the Barkerend area of the city at the time, was jailed for nine months for the Bail Act offence.

During the trial at Bradford Crown Court this week, he stated that he was the one under attack in the pub.

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He told the jury Mr Bristow approached him and said: “We know who you are. We know you work on oil rigs. We know you’ve been to Africa.”

Collins told the court: “It made me feel a little uncomfortable, a bit bewildered and confused about what it was all about. I didn’t know much about him, so I didn’t know why he took an interest in me.”

Collins said that Mr Bristow had then moved into his personal space and asked him to go outside for a fight.

“It was an invite. I said; ‘I’m not going to go out with you mate.’ After that he headbutted me. He did it twice. It was very heavy, the head is a blunt instrument. Momentarily, I was dazed and dizzy. I don’t recall what was in my mind. It was instant, it hurt.

“I was under attack. I didn’t know what was coming next. I was cornered against the bar. I pushed him as hard as I could to effect an escape. We clashed. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor on my hands and knees.”

Mr Bristow was taken by ambulance to Bradford Royal Infirmary after suffering two lacerations to his face.

He needed sutures to cuts under his chin and to the side of his mouth.

Collins told the jury he had not been aware of holding anything, but he had been drinking wine and did have a wine glass.

“I don’t dispute I had a glass but I certainly was not aware of what was going on, apart from exiting from the attack.”

He said that when he got up from the floor, the bar manager, Jamie Brown, was standing in front of him telling him to leave.

“I said ‘what are you asking me to leave for, I didn’t do anything?’ He says ‘just leave’, so I left. This allegation is totally wrong.”

Earlier, the jury heard a statement from Mr Brown in which he said Collins punched Mr Bristow, who hit him back. Both men were scuffling at the bar and then he saw Mr Bristow with blood on his face.

“He had been glassed by Anthony,” Mr Brown stated.

Mr Brown said that before the incident, everyone was enjoying themselves in the pub. It was a pleasant atmosphere, with no raised voices.