Smethwick man accused of assault on flatmate says he acted in self-defence
A man accused of fracturing a flatmate's eye socket in a row over late-night noise at a shared house in Smethwick where they both lived claims he acted in self-defence.
Rokas Lastakauskas, aged 36, of South Road, Smethwick is accused of hitting Gugandeep Sahota unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on him.
The charge relates to an incident at the property they and two other men lived at in White Road, Smethwick on March 23, 2020.
Wolverhampton Crown Court sitting at Park Hall Hotel heard Mr Sahota was disturbed by the three other flatmates at around 4.30am, when he had to be up to get ready for his shift as a crane driver at 6am.
Prosecuting, Stuart Clarkson read out an evidence statement by Mr Sahota, who has since died.
